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Chapter Text

Frisk began his ascent.

Mount Ebott. At a glance, it appeared to be an ordinary mountain, a lonely peak watching over a dense forest. If it weren't for the shrill alarm and the several armed guards running around, it would've been a serene picture. Frisk quietly skulked through the trees, carefully avoiding the alerted guards. He ducked behind a bush near an encampment, and he saw two high ranking officers walk out of the command tent. They both wore dark blue Military Police uniforms. One of them was a General, a middle-aged man in his fifties or sixties with a shaved head and menacing orange eyes. The other was some kind of Special Agent. He looked about ten years younger than the General, had short blond hair, and wore sunglasses over his eyes. From prior attempts, Frisk knew their names, General Jaeger and Agent Miller.

Their conversation played out exactly the same as last time.

"We have a situation," Jaeger said. "There has been a drastic influx of reset activity. Chances are, that brat is making a move. You know the drill. If you see any intruders, shoot on sight."

Miller frowned. "Sir, is that really necessary? He's just a kid."

"He's a World Master; he doesn't need your sympathy. We'll kill him as many times as it takes."

Miller scowled at his superior officer. "Orders be damned. There's no way I'm shooting a kid."

Jaeger furrowed his brow. "If that little shit gets through, it'll be the end of humanity. The power hidden beneath that mountain cannot be allowed to exist. There's no chance in hell I'm going to be ruled by some omnipotent god just because this stupid kid is too soft. If you see him, you will put a bullet in his head. Are we clear?"

"... crystal," Miller muttered.

That was Frisk's cue. He started tiptoeing through the path while Jaeger struck his subordinate's face with a closed fist. "That's an order, Miller!"

"G-go to hell. Maybe the monsters should wipe us out."

It pained Frisk's heart to hear that fight so many times, but he kept moving. He had failed several times, but he was confident that this would be the one. Attempt seventy-eight was the charm, right? Frisk pressed himself against a tree as another duo of guards walked by, right on schedule.

"Find him!"

"We can't let him though!"

The guards passed, and Frisk kept moving up the slope. He could see the main entrance to the cave, but he knew there was no getting through. The cavern was surrounded by watchtowers, cameras, turrets, guards, and a steel gate. No matter how many times Frisk tried, getting in that way was suicide.

"AAAAHHHHHH!"

Frisk felt something unbearably hot burn into his back. Damn it, he had lingered too long again. One of the guards had spot him, and not just any guard. Frisk turned around and saw her. She had blond hair down to her shoulders, and she was dressed in a dark blue Military Police trench coat with gold trimmings and a double-gold bar insignia, symbolizing the rank of a Captain. She carried a longsword in her right hand, and her left hand burned with fire magic. Frisk didn't know her name, but he called her 'Purple' because of her violet eyes, which burned with as much intensity as her flames.

"Stop right there!" Purple cried.

Frisk tried to run away, but Purple threw another fireball into his leg. He cried out in pain as the fire seared it. He managed to stop himself from falling on his face, but he was reduced to a slow limp. Purple easily caught up to him. Frisk turned and instinctively raised his arm, and Purple swung her sword. Frisk felt the blade cut through his bone, slicing off his lower arm.

Frisk screamed. He heard a thud as his severed arm hit the ground, and crimson blood spurt from the hole it had left behind. Frisk clutched it with his remaining arm. It hurt, and he still wasn't used to it. He looked up just in time to see Purple run her sword through his chest. "Don't come back," she snarled.

Another failure. Frisk closed his eyes and reached for his SAVE file...

FILE LOADED

Don't come back.

That's what she had said every time.

But he came back anyway.

Frisk made it back to the cave's entrance, and he made sure to keep moving this time. The main entrance may have been impossible, but Frisk knew there was another way. That wasn't just wishful thinking, Frisk knew. He had seen it. High up in the mountain, there was another entrance that the guards didn't seem to know about, a hole leading straight down underground. Frisk grabbed onto a steep rock wall and started climbing.

If I can just make this climb.

He grabbed hold of a rock and pulled himself higher, making sure his feet found steady support. He was halfway there. He could do this.

"I see him!"

"There! On that wall!"

No, please!

Frisk climbed faster, knowing his time was short. He jumped up and held onto the cliff's edge. He was almost there!

Crack!

A gunshot flew into the rock underneath Frisk's arm; the bullet had flown right through. Frisk screamed as his arm burned with hot pain, but with all his determination, he managed to pull himself up over the ledge and rolled to safety.

His arm was bleeding badly, but luckily, the bullet hadn't stopped inside. Frisk took a bandage out of his pocket and applied it over the entry and exit wounds. That would have to do for now.

Frisk laid down on the ground, and he laughed. He'd done it. After taking so many bullets to the head, neck, chest, everywhere, he finally made it. He had won! The entrance to the mountain was right next to him, with no guards in his way. All those deaths were going to be worth it. The monsters were going to be free!

He slowly approached the gaping hole; his stomach churned when he looked down. It was a large drop, at least five stories, maybe more. He had to climb down carefully. Frisk held on tight to the ledge and lowered himself down. He felt for a rock underneath his foot, and he started descending. He took a deep breath. This was it; this was the last obstacle. He was almost...

The rock beneath Frisk's foot fell off the wall, and Frisk followed, plummeting down into the cavern.

Frisk heard a voice. "Wh-what? Where am I?"

He darted his head around. "Huh? Who said that?"

Flowey flashed a sadistic grin. "In this world, it's kill or be killed!"

The voice spoke coldly. "What are you doing here, human? This is no place for your kind."

"It's alright; I won't hurt any of you," Frisk promised.

"You took more candy; how disgusting," the voice teased. "You are the scum of the Earth."

Toriel blocked the way. "Prove you are strong enough to survive."

Frisk sobbed, his hands covered in dust. "T-Toriel..."

"Just as I thought," the voice hissed. "Despite all your empty promises, you'll kill anyone who gets in your way. Some hero you are."

"N-no, I can fix it!"

"She's DEAD! You KILLED her! How can you possibly save her now?!"

Toriel laughed bitterly. "Pathetic, is it not? I cannot save even a single child."

The voice was shocked beyond belief. "Human..."

Frisk smiled. "I told you; I'm not going to hurt you."

The skeleton waved. "I'm Sans. Sans the Skeleton."

"Hey, what's your name, anyway?" Frisk asked.

"What does it matter?" the voice grumbled. "I'm dead."

Frisk winked at Papyrus. "That jawbone of yours is so dashing!"

"STOP FLIRTING WITH THE ENEMY!" the voice screamed.

"Your life is all that stands between us and our freedom!" Undyne roared.

Flowey stared at him incredulously. "Why...? Why are you so... nice to me?"

The voice spoke quietly. "A-Asriel...? No, that's... that's impossible..."

Asriel's voice cracked with pain. "Chara... do you know why I'm doing this?"

"Because you're special, Chara."

"I... I'm doing this because I care about you, Chara!"

"I'm so alone, Chara."

"I'm so afraid, Chara..."

"Chara, I... I..."

"I'm so sorry."

"It's time for monsters... to finally go free."

"Maybe... the truth is... Chara wasn't really the greatest person."

The voice whimpered. "Brother..."

"While, Frisk... you're the type of friend I wish I always had."

Frisk's heart froze. He understood what Asriel meant, but it almost felt like... a betrayal. He wished he could tell him the truth, but he knew that wasn't what the voice... what Chara wanted.

"... Frisk," Chara whispered, "thank you for everything you've done, but I'm afraid it's time for us to part ways."

"No! I don't want you to go!"

"Frisk..."

"Stay with me...  Chara."

One Year Later

"Hey, you awake, buddy?"

Sans tapped Frisk's shoulder, and he snapped back into focus. He was sitting with Sans at the bar in Grillby's. Frisk's plate was clean save for a few crumbs, and Sans was holding a mostly empty bottle of ketchup. Frisk turned to face him; he was smiling his usual smile.

Sans winked. "Welcome back, lazybones."

"S-sorry, Sans," Frisk apologized. "I was just… thinking about something."

"Really? Do tell," Sans implored.

Frisk frowned. He could tell him half the truth. "I was just thinking about the Underground," he said.

Sans nodded. "Yeah. that was quite a thing, huh?"

He chuckled. "You don't know the half of it."

Sans hummed. "Yeah, you're not exactly a normal kid, are you?"

Frisk paused. He wasn't sure how to feel about being called abnormal. "What... do you mean?" he asked.

"Oh, my mistake," Sans said. "I didn't realize it was normal for kids to free an entire kingdom trapped under a mountain."

Frisk laughed nervously. "Heh, well, I didn't do it alone."

"And you're already training to be an ambassador, a critical representative of monsterkind."

"I suppose not every kid does that…"

"And," Sans said, "you're the World Master. You have the power to turn back time, because your soul has more determination than any other being in the entire world."

Frisk sighed. "Okay, you win. I'm not normal. Are you happy now?"

And to top it all off, you have a voice inside your head!

That was Chara, Frisk's beloved companion. Frisk had met Chara as soon as he landed in the Underground. Apparently, Chara's body had been buried under the golden flowers that had broken his fall, and his determination was so strong that it had awakened her from death, causing her to manifest as a spirit inside Frisk's mind. Frisk knew perfectly well that the normal reaction to hearing voices in one's head was to scream and seek psychological help, but Chara was no hallucination. Although she had initially reacted to Frisk with hostility, she gradually grew to trust him as they journeyed through the Underground together.

Frisk had quickly found himself enamored with Chara. He could tell that she cared greatly for the monsters who had taken her in and raised her as their own child. She could be cold at times, but she was a wonderful and amazingly supportive person when she wanted to be. She also had a fun, quirky sense of humor, even if her puns made him groan. Frisk was so happy to have met her.

Sans laughed. "I gotta say, I really appreciate what you did back there. Most people wouldn't be so conservative with the ability to control time. If someone is gonna have that power, then I'm glad it's someone as responsible as you."

Frisk's heart was warmed to hear that, but he was also reminded of Flowey. That had been a perfect demonstration of how horrible the ability to save could be when placed in the wrong hands... or vines, in that case. "I know what you mean," he said.

Sans's eyes dimmed. "However, there are a lot of people out there who don't trust you so much."

Frisk's gut twisted. Sans was usually such a cool friend to hang out with, but he didn't like it when Sans's eyes got darker. "I... suppose that's true," Frisk said.

Sans pointed outside, towards a black van parked nearby. "Who do you think those guys are really protecting?"

The van belonged to Frisk's secret security detail. A couple months after he had helped destroy the Barrier, Jacob Malcom, President of the World Government, insisted on assigning a team of bodyguards to watch over him. Not only was he the World Master, he had also been dubbed the 'Hero of Monsters' for everything he had done for them. Malcom insisted that such an important person needed protection. Frisk hadn't been in a position to refuse, but he knew what the security detail was really for. It wasn't to protect him; it was to keep tabs on him, the one who could sent the entire universe back in time.

And, by interesting coincidence, the security team was led by Agent Miller, the same one Frisk had slipped past when he'd infiltrated Mount Ebott. He seemed like a good guy, but that didn't mean his superiors were.

"Of course, you can't really blame them," Sans said. "You gotta remember, when you reset, it's not just you who's going back in time. You're sending everyone back. You're not traveling to another timeline; you're rewinding the timeline you're already in. Everyone's lives are ripped away and sent back to an earlier point in time. You can't expect everyone to rest easy knowing that kid has the power take away who they are and replace it with someone else."

Ouch, Chara said. He is absolutely correct, of course, but even so...

Sans's words cut deep into Frisk's heart. He frowned bitterly. "Gee, could you make it sound any worse?"

"Well, I suppose we monsters are worse," Sans said.

Frisk nodded solemnly. "I wish more people could trust you guys."

Sans shrugged. "Eh, again, you can't really blame them. If just one monster were to absorb seven human souls, we'd have a god of the world on our hands. It's only natural that they'd be scared of that."

Frisk grimaced. He knew Sans was right. He had seen that power firsthand when Asriel became the self-proclaimed 'God of Hyperdeath.' According to Chara, he had possessed infinite attack and defense, not even nukes could stop that, and that power could be obtained by any one monster with any seven human souls. Honestly, it was no wonder the humans were so afraid.

However, Frisk couldn't give up so easily. He couldn't accept there was no way to fix that problem. Maybe if they worked hard, they could find some kind of cure. He knew Alphys had already begun researching for one. He just hoped the World Government would give them enough time.

"... I did the right thing, didn't I?" Frisk asked. "Don't you deserve to be free?"

Sans closed his eyes. "Just because we deserve it, doesn't mean we should have it."

What was that supposed to mean?

Damn coward, Chara spat. Does he truly think monsterkind should have remained trapped underground? If this land must choose between humans and monsters, then let it be monsters.

Frisk winced. He knew Chara still hated humanity, and he knew exactly how she had died, what she had tried to make Asriel do. Frisk hated what Chara had done that day, but he couldn't bring himself to hate Chara herself. Calling her actions ruthless was a massive understatement, but he understood why Chara had done it. She may have hated humanity, but she was also terrified of them, terrified that they would one day finish the extermination they had started over two-thousand-years ago. He could never hate her for trying to protect the family she loved so dearly, even if she had gotten them hurt in the process.

Uh... no offense! Chara chirped. You're one of the good humans, Frisk!

Umm, yeah, thanks.

Sans gave him a lighthearted laugh. "Nah, I'm always rooting for you, kid. Maybe things will be different this time. A lot has happened in the past two-thousand-years, after all. Maybe I should give it a chance."

Frisk smiled. "Thank you, Sans. That's all I ask."

"There's one thing I don't get, though," Sans said. "You had to give all those Military Police guys the slip, didn't you? Whatever happened to them when we got out?"

"Don't you know?" Frisk asked. "When the Barrier was broken, they were all teleported away deep into the forest. By the time they got back, it was too late."

Despite how the Military Police made it seem, there were plenty of people who wanted the monsters to be free. Although President Malcom had posted all those guards, he couldn't just declare war on the entire race. Once they had escaped, there was nothing he could do.

"Yeah, I do," Sans said. "I just wonder what caused it."

"I... guess it was the same power that broke the Barrier," Frisk said.

Sans nodded. "Yeah, guess we'll never know, huh?"

Frisk wished he could tell him about Asriel, how it was him who had destroyed the Barrier, but Asriel wanted his existence to be kept secret. He didn't want to break his family's hearts all over again. It was unfortunate that he couldn't get the credit he deserved, but that was how he wanted it.

Sans got out of his seat. "Well, I should get going. Papyrus will get cranky if I don't get back soon."

He laughed. "Alright, I'll leave you to it."

Sans pat him on the back. "Take care, kid."

Frisk waved goodbye. "Bye, Sans!"

Sans walked out of the restaurant, and Frisk soon followed.

He walked outside and headed back home, to Toriel's house. After Asriel had broken the Barrier, Frisk had decided to stay with her. He was an orphan. His father had died before he was born, and his loving mother had died of a terminal illness a little over one year ago, just a few days after Frisk had become World Master. He had reset so many times trying to save her, but it was futile. A child's determination developed as they grew older, and Frisk could only go as far back as the moment when he had become World Master. By that time, it was already too late. There was nothing he could have done to save her.

With nowhere better to go, Frisk had chosen to stay with Toriel, who was more than happy to accommodate him.

Although, as great as Toriel was, Frisk didn't feel comfortable calling her 'mother,' for a couple of reasons. For one thing, he still missed his original mother, so calling Toriel 'mother' felt wrong to him. How could Toriel be his mom? His mother was dead, and she wasn't coming back. Toriel was an amazing person, but she wasn't his mom.

As for the second reason, it was Chara. He didn't want to be thought of as Chara's brother; his feelings for Chara were... more than brotherly.

Heh, Frisk knew he was being ridiculous. He had no idea if Chara would share those feelings, and he certainly wasn't in a position to ask. Chara... didn't even have her own soul. Her attachment to Frisk's soul may have saved her from being like Flowey, but it wasn't clear if the love and compassion she felt were genuinely hers. To ask her if she loved Frisk may have been like asking if Frisk loved himself. Frisk knew he had to help her somehow, but where would he get a free human soul? It wasn't like he could just kill someone for Chara's sake. He wasn't crazy.

He kept walking through the suburban streets of Surface Home, the new monster capitol which was built near the sprawling metropolis that was Ebott City. As it was the monster capital, the streets were full of monsters happily going about their day, but there were also a few human visitors walking around, curious about their new neighbors. They wandered the town like nosy tourists, wanting to learn as much as they could about monsters.

I am uncertain how I should feel about this, Chara said. All these humans strolling through monster territory.

Frisk tried to lighten the mood. Hey, Toriel's house is just down the road. We'll be back with your mother shortly.

Mhm, yes. Perhaps she will make us some ButtsPie.

Frisk groaned. Butterscotch pie, Chara.

Yeah, ButtsPie! You have a problem with my shorthand?

Ah, Chara. Never change.

A while later, Frisk arrived home. He walked up to Toriel's house, opened the door, and walked inside. As he entered, Toriel walked in from the kitchen and greeted him with a warm smile. "Greetings, Frisk. How was your day?"

"Great!" Frisk said. "Sans and I had dinner at Grillby's."

"That sounds nice!" Toriel said. "By the way, I baked you some pie. It is waiting for you in the kitchen."

Ah, Chara was right. Frisk smiled. "Thanks, Toriel."

"You are welcome, Frisk!"

Frisk went into the kitchen and took a slice of the pie. He put it on a plate and took it to his room. He sat down on his bed and bit into the pie; Frisk and Chara both savored its sweetness. Chara could sense anything that Frisk sensed, including taste. Despite not having a body, Chara was able to enjoy the pie as much as Frisk did.

Not that Chara could see it, Frisk gave her a sappy smile. I wish you could be here for real, with your own body.

I... yes, that would be nice.

His tone grew more bitter than sweet. And... I wish Asriel were here.

As do I.

After breaking the Barrier, Asriel had disappeared. Frisk tried to tell him to come with him. He swore that he would find a way to save him, to make him Asriel again, but Asriel wouldn't have it. He had been completely resigned to his fate.

Frisk picked up one of the two pictures on his nightstand. The photograph was torn and discolored with time, but the image was still clear. It was a family photo of Toriel, Asgore, Asriel, and Chara. They were all smiling, with Asriel and Chara holding bouquets of golden flowers in front of their parents. They looked so happy. Frisk stared at Asriel, who was grinning widely.

"It's best if you just forget about me, okay?"

The photograph trembled in Frisk's hand.

"Just go be with the people who love you."

No...

Frisk slammed his fist on the nightstand. "To hell with that!"

Frisk?

"I'm not going to forget him!" Frisk said. "We're going to find him. Tomorrow, we're going to start looking for him."

Wh-where will we find him? Chara asked.

I don't know! You're his sister, aren't you? Where would he go?

I... I'm sorry, I don't know.

Frisk sighed. We'll get someone to help us. Maybe Alphys? She's the one who... created him.

I suppose it's worth a shot, Chara said. I do hope we find him. There are... many things that I need to tell him.

Frisk nodded. Yeah.

Chara's voice grew somber. He... he's right about me, Frisk. I'm not the greatest person. You're the friend he deserved, not me.

Frisk couldn't stand hearing Chara talk like that. He shook his head. Don't do this to yourself. I'm sure Asriel doesn't regret being your friend. He just... wishes things turned out differently.

I... well, we'll find out, won't we?

Yeah, we will.

After a long pause, Chara spoke again. Frisk... thank you. You've already done so much for me, even though I don't deserve it. I... understand that my actions were wrong. I understand that now. I still cannot say that I am fond of humanity, but I am trying my best to temper my hatred. I have you to thank for that, Frisk. Thank you so much.

Frisk blushed. He had to admit, it felt good to be praised by the girl he liked so much. No problem.

He kept looking at the photograph. This time, his attention was focused on Chara. Her hair was styled almost exactly like Frisk's, bangs that went down to her shoulders, but its color was more of an auburn rather than Frisk's brown. Since her soul had been a determination soul, Chara had red eyes, and since he also had a determination soul, Frisk also had red eyes. Although, Chara's eyes were a brighter shade of red, which looked absolutely stunning. Frisk couldn't help but stare. She was so...

Uh... Frisk?

He smiled. You're so pretty, Chara.

Chara scoffed. Really, Frisk? Already back to shameless flirting? Whatever happened to finding my brother?

Pretty much, but in Chara's case, he really meant it...

Frisk frowned, his heart aching. He couldn't tell her, not while she didn't have her own soul. He returned his attention to Asriel. We will find him, he said. Even if he's soulless, he has to be happier here than wherever he is now.

I hope so, Chara said.

Yeah, Frisk hoped so, too.

Chapter Text

The next day, Frisk was prepared to head out to the Monster Embassy, as he often did as part of his training to be an ambassador. Asgore had just arrived to drive Frisk there. Once Frisk was ready, he headed outside.

Frisk smiled when he saw him. "Hi, Asgore!"

Asgore smiled back. "Good morning, Frisk!"

As Frisk entered Asgore's car, Toriel smiled and waved goodbye. "Have an excellent day, Frisk! Come back safe!"

Asgore nervously smiled and waved to Toriel, who scowled and folded her arms. "Mr. Dreemurr."

Wordlessly, Asgore frowned and turned away from her. He started the engine and drove off.

… I hate seeing them like that, Chara said. It's the exact opposite of how they used to be. Chara laughed inside Frisk's head. Ah… Asriel and I used to get so embarrassed around them. If I only I knew that I would miss it one day.

Frisk felt so bad for her. He knew she blamed herself for what happened between them, and sadly, there was some truth to that. If Asriel had never died, Frisk had a hard time imagining that they ever would have divorced.

"So, are you ready?" Asgore asked. "We've got a big day coming up."

Frisk nodded. "As ready as I can be."

Of course, Frisk wasn't a professional ambassador yet. He was just a fourteen-year-old boy, after all. However, being the World Master gave Frisk the right to speak on stage despite his young age, and as the 'Hero of Monsters' his opinions carried a great deal of weight, perhaps even more than Asgore himself. Resetting wasn't the only thing he was good for.

They reached the embassy. Asgore parked his car, and they headed inside. Frisk felt a little uneasy as they entered.

He wasn't usually nervous, but like Asgore had said, it was a particularly important day. That day, they were about to hold a debate concerning humanity's greatest fear: the monsters' ability to absorb human souls. The President of the World Government himself was going to be there, President Jacob Malcom. He had been President for as long as Frisk could remember (There was no term limit in the World Government.) For the most part, Frisk found Malcolm to be a fair and just leader, except on one certain issue; Malcom was a critical supporter of the Mount Ebott Barrier. If it weren't for him, it was possible that Frisk wouldn't have had to sneak his way through the Military Police to enter the Underground.

Another important fact to consider was that Malcom was used to be the World Master before Flowey had been created, so once Frisk's determination had fully developed, Malcom was demoted to the third most determined being in the world. Frisk hoped that Malcom had no hard feelings about that… or about how he had helped destroy the Barrier…

Yeah… Malcom probably hated Frisk's guts.

Frisk and Asgore made their way to the Embassy's main auditorium, where a massive crowd of both humans and monsters had gathered. Frisk spotted a few of his friends in the crowd. Undyne along with Royal Guards 01 and 02 approached them. Naturally, most of the Royal Guard had disbanded since Asgore had canceled his plans to wage war with humanity, but a few still remained as Asgore's bodyguards.

"We're ready to serve, sire," Undyne said.

"As always, I hope you won't need to," Asgore replied.

Frisk smiled. "Great to see you, Undyne!"

Undyne grinned. "Well, if it isn't my favorite little punk. Don't worry, we'll handle this stupid President!"

"Haha, I'm sure you will."

Speaking of guards, Frisk knew that Agent Miller and his squad was watching him too. He just... tried not to think about it.

The crowd went silent; President Malcom had arrived. He walked onto the stage. Malcom was a man in his forties with short black hair and red eyes, and he wore a professional black suit. Frisk and Asgore quickly followed and went to their podiums on the stage. He braced himself for what could have quite possibly been his important debate yet.

"Just a little over one year ago," Malcom began, "the monster race returned to coexist with humanity. Many of you rejoiced at what felt like a long overdue release. The monsters had been trapped for so long, but now they're able to live in harmony with humanity."

Malcom's tone grew bitter. "However, as heartwarming as their release may be, the enormous threat they pose to the entire world's security cannot be ignored. With just a single human soul, any monster can become a powerful and fearsome beast. Add one more soul, and any monster can gain control of the timeline, becoming the new World Master. With seven human souls, a monster will gain godlike power. If such a monster was struck with the desire to kill, there may be no stopping them."

Frisk couldn't bring himself to raise an objection. Everything Malcom had said was totally correct. Monsters may have lost the war, but that had been a very different scenario. There were no guns to level the playing field, and the humans had kept tight control over their own ranks to ensure that no one sacrificed themselves to save the monsters. If another war broke out, it would likely end in the monsters' favor, and who knew what that could mean for humanity?

Malcom continued. "The ability to reset has no true counter. There are only two ways to beat a World Master. The unlikely approach is to crush the World Master so hard that they give up on whatever goal they are trying to achieve, but the only certain method is to introduce a new World Master. The threat that monsters pose has gone unchecked for far too long. That is why today, I am announcing the best solution we can come up with." He waved at someone in the audience. "Boaris, please come join us."

Chara sounded surprised. Boaris?

The monster called Boaris walked onto the stage. As his name suggested, he was a boar monster. He stood about as tall as Asgore, and the tusks poking out of his face made him look tough yet gentle at the same time, much like Asgore. Frisk got the sense that he, too, was a boss monster.

Do you know him? Frisk asked.

I do, Chara answered. He was a friend of my father.

Oh, so that makes him pretty old. He smirked.

I'm going to ignore that! Chara snapped. I'm surprised to see Boaris here. He actually lived through the Human-Monster War, which cost him his wife and daughter.

Frisk frowned. Great, now he felt like an insensitive jerk. I'm sorry.

As one might expect, he doesn't hold humanity in high regard, Chara said. At least, that was the case one hundred years ago, not terribly long for someone who has lived for over two-thousand years. I don't see how anything could have changed. Well, I suppose you are a possible factor, but I cannot say for certain.

Hmm, Frisk saw Chara's point. If Boaris didn't like humanity, what was he doing with Malcom?

Boaris addressed the crowd with a smile. "Salutations. I am Boaris. Boaris the Boar. Malcom has requested that I take on the burden of being the first Guardian Monster."

Guardian Monster? The crowd began murmuring. What was a Guardian Monster?

"The Guardian Monsters are our answer to the threat of soul absorption," Malcom declared. "Since there is no counter to this power, we must fight fire with fire. Should a monster ever seek the power of human souls, a trusted Guardian Monster such as Boaris will absorb the souls of seven volunteer human soldiers and terminate the threat. Although we are not certain what will happen if two godlike monsters clash, it is currently the best hope we have."

Huh... this actually made sense. A surprisingly reasonable request, really. Frisk hoped no monster ever absorbed human souls ever again, but it was always wise to be prepared.

However, there was one thing that didn't add up. Why Boaris? If Boaris had truly disliked humanity as Chara had said, that didn't make him the most trustworthy candidate. Surely, there had to be someone else they could trust with unlimited power, like Undyne... actually, maybe not. She had once been totally on board with Asgore's plan to destroy humanity. She was cool now, but that didn't mean she wouldn't face political backlash. Maybe some other Royal Guard, then?

Besides that issue, there was another matter that Frisk was concerned about. He spoke into his microphone. "Your proposal seems reasonable enough, but I trust you will only use this power if absolutely necessary?"

"Of course," Malcom replied. "It will be treated just as seriously as firing a nuclear weapon."

"Very well," Asgore said. "Let us discuss the terms."

Asgore and Malcom went back and forth, discussing various matters of security, how to balance the urgency of activating a Guardian with safety. Frisk did his best to keep up, chiming in whenever he could. It was a bit macabre when they discussed how to handle the human sacrifices required. One thing they easily agreed on was that they absolutely must have seven of them willingly agree to commence the absorption. The more complicated issue was how to define the pool of designated sacrifices, and how large that pool should be. Asgore initially proposed it should be no more than ten Military Police officers, but Malcom said that was far too small, pointing out that he wanted the pool to span the entire globe. The number climbed to the hundreds.

Who knew politics could be so fun! Chara exclaimed.

After much debate, the politicians finally began to reach a conclusion for the day. "Excellent," Asgore said. "I believe we may carry forward with this plan."

Malcom nodded. "We may discuss it more later, but that will conclude our session today."

Asgore and Malcom shook hands, and they left the stage as the audience headed out. Generally, the mood was cautiously hopeful.

"Hope this works out."

"Will the Guardians be enough?"

"It would be so much easier if they had just stayed underground."

Frisk's chest tightened. Please, just give us time.

Asgore returned to the Embassy's lobby, and Frisk followed him. "How do you feel about this?" Frisk whispered.

"I cannot say I like it," Asgore answered. "It pains me to treat my people like weapons, but Malcom has a point. We must come up with some counter to soul absorption soon." He frowned. "Still… I am shocked that Boaris agreed to this."

It sounded like Chara was correct, but he wanted to hear what Asgore had to say. "What's Boaris like?" Frisk asked.

"I... fear he harbors a bitter resentment towards humanity," Asgore said. "His family was killed in the Human-Monster War. I have no idea why he's so eager to support them now."

Frisk's gut twisted. How the hell did they let Boaris be a Guardian? It didn't make sense. There had to be a better choice.

"Still," Asgore said, "I don't imagine he is planning anything nefarious. Despite his distaste of humanity, Boaris is a very gentle monster. I don't believe that he'd have it in him to massacre the entire race."

"Well, I hope you're right," Frisk said.

Asgore nodded, and they stood in solmen silence.

"... you should go home now," Asgore said. "I'll take it from here."

Frisk sighed. He wished he could do more for him, but he was still just a child. "Yeah, alright."

Asgore waved his hand at Undyne, beckoning her to approach. "Undyne, could you please take Frisk home?"

"Of course, sire." Undyne glanced at 01 and 02. "Don't let anything happen to Asgore!"

"We've got this!" 01 exclaimed. "You go take care of Frisk!"

"... yeah," 02 muttered.

Frisk waved goodbye. "See you later, Asgore."

Asgore waved back. "Goodbye, Frisk."

... goodbye, Father, Chara whispered.

Walking with Undyne, Frisk stepped outside of the Embassy building. He looked at her, and he realized how perfect this was. It was time to make good on the promise he had made to Chara last night. "Hey, Undyne," he said, "I know Asgore told me to go home, but why don't we go see Alphys instead?"

Undyne grinned. "Great idea! Let's go!"

Frisk smiled. "You're not worried about disobeying Asgore?"

"He can't order you around! I'm supposed to escort you, so that's what I'm doing!"

"You just want an excuse to see Alphys."

"That too!"

Frisk laughed. Undyne took Frisk to her car, and they headed for Alphys's lab. As Undyne drove, Frisk tried to ignore the black van following them. Who needed the Military Police when he had a badass like Undyne by his side?

Fortunately, Alphys's lab wasn't far. After a short drive, they reached it. Undyne parked her car, and they approached the door. The lab looked a lot like Alphys's old lab from the Underground, a big, white, rectangular building. Undyne knocked on the door. "Hi, dear! It's me!"

Alphys quickly opened it. "Hi, Undyne! Oh, and Frisk!"

"Yeah, yeah, great to see you," Undyne impatiently said. "Now let us in, already!"

"Y-yes, of course!" Alphys obeyed Undyne's command and retreated back inside. Frisk and Undyne followed. Even the interior looked just like her old one back underground. It had the same light blue floor and light green walls and looked clear and pristine, except for a few notes scattered around plastered with Alphys's nearly illegible handwriting.

"I watched the debate today," Alphys said. "That was some… pretty serious stuff."

Frisk nodded. "Yeah, it was."

"I know as well as anyone how powerful human souls are," Alphys said. "It's definitely important to watch out for. I just hope they treat Boaris well."

Yeah, he's not the one I'm worried about, Frisk thought.

"Don't worry!" Undyne exclaimed. "If they do anything to Boaris, they'll have a little chat with me about it!"

Frisk laughed. "I know how important it is to stay on your good side."

Undyne smiled. "You haven't seen the half of it, Frisk!"

"Umm… are you hungry?" Alphys asked. "I wasn't really expecting guests today. All I have is these instant noodles."

"That's fine," Frisk said.

Alphys went to her fridge and grabbed three bags of instant noodles.

Ask her if she has chocolate! Chara demanded.

Frisk obliged. "Umm, hey, you wouldn't happen to have any chocolate, would you?"

"Uh, I think I do, as a matter of fact," Alphys rummaged through her fridge and eventually retrieved a bar of chocolate. She handed to Frisk. He could feel Chara's hunger as he took it.

"You know," Undyne said, "I noticed you've been eating chocolate a lot lately."

Frisk paused."Umm, yeah? Lots of people like chocolate."

"True," Undyne said, "but not everyone is obsessed with the stuff. I just think it's funny. They say the first human who fell underground was also obsessed with chocolate."

Frisk's heartbeat elevated. "Is that really so weird?"

"They also say she always wore a striped sweater, and she had shoulder-length hair. Similar color, too, just a little lighter and more reddish."

"Plenty of kids dress like that..."

"They also say she liked to carry a knife around." Undyne grinned. "That's right. I know you have one."

Just in case, Frisk always carried a royal dagger that he had found in Asgore's Castle. Chara said it was once her knife; Asgore had given it to her as a birthday present. Before her death, Chara had used it to help Asgore trim plants and vines in his garden.

Undyne grabbed the knife out of Frisk's pocket, making him jump in surprise. "H-hey!"

"Why do you carry this around?" Undyne asked. "What does a wimp like you need this for?"

"I don't know, why do you have magical death spears?" Frisk retorted.

She handed the knife back. "I guess it is important for you to protect yourself," she said. "I would hate to see anything happen to you, Frisk."

Frisk put it back in his pocket. "Yeah."

Undyne stared into Frisk's red eyes. "You do remind me of that Chara kid, though. Of course, I'm not a hundred years old, so I never actually met the kid, but Asgore showed me photos. There's something about your eyes, and I don't just mean how they're both red. You have that same look as her, you know? You have that same look, like a, 'Don't worry, I've got this,' look."

Chara laughed. Undyne is fascinating, is she not?

Frisk smiled. "Heh, if you say so."

Alphys handed each of them a bowl of instant noodles without cooking them. "They're better dry," she said.

Frisk took his bowl and started eating the noodles. Strangely enough, he had a feeling that they were better dry.

Frisk, please…

After, Chara.

Oh, okay…

As they ate, Frisk decided it was time to ask. He put down his half-full bowl. "Hey, Alphys… I actually came here for a very important reason. Remember that flower you were experimenting on?"

"Uh, of course," Alphys said. "It just disappeared one day. I have no idea what happened to it... why do you ask?"

Frisk nervously looked around, as if to make sure they weren't being watched. "Can you keep what I'm about to tell you a secret?"

"Why the secrecy?" Undyne asked.

"This is serious."

"Uh, alright. I can be discreet."

Frisk regretted telling them this already. "That flower," he whispered. "Alphys… your experiment was a success. The determination you gave it brought it to life, back to life. It turned into… Asriel."

Silence.

"... uh, what?" Undyne said.

"I know it sounds crazy," Frisk said, "but it's the truth."

Alphys's claws trembled. "I... I figured that it had come to life, but... Asriel? How is that possible?"

"When Asriel died," Frisk explained, "his dust spread across the garden. You know how monster funerals work, right? Their dust is spread over their favorite object, so they may live on inside that object. Turns out, there is more truth to that fairy tale than people believed. Asriel's essence was absorbed into the seed of a golden flower, and that seed was the first to bloom inside Asgore's garden, the same flower you injected with determination."

"... right," Undyne said. "Umm, excuse me, this will only take a moment." Undyne took out her phone and summoned something from her dimensional box. It appeared in her hand with a bright flash of light; it was a small, metal device with a nozzle pointing diagonally upward, almost like a straw. "Frisk, please blow on the nozzle for me."

Seriously? Frisk clenched his teeth. "No, I haven't been drinking. I'm fourteen!"

"Would you mind peeing in a cup for me?" Undyne asked.

"I'm not on drugs!" Frisk yelled.

Chara groaned. Oh, God. As if you would ever.

Undyne gently held his shoulder. "Frisk, dear. When people die, they kind of, uh, stay dead. There's no coming back."

Well, that just wasn't entirely true. Chara and Asriel had both proven that. Frisk wasn't sure exactly why they had come back, but they had. Those were the facts.

"I saw him," Frisk said. "Don't tell a soul about this, but the truth is, Asriel was the one who destroyed the Barrier. The flower absorbed the human souls, transformed back into Asriel, and shattered the Barrier." He decided to leave out the part where he absorbed the souls of every monster underground.

"Wait, he turned back into Asriel?" Undyne asked. "Then what happened to him?"

"He released the souls when he was finished," Frisk said. "He couldn't just keep them, but without the souls, he couldn't maintain his true form, so he turned back into the flower."

"Okay," Undyne said, "but what's so bad about that? What's wrong with being a flower? I think Vegetoid would take offense to that."

"He's soulless," Frisk explained. "Although his essence survived, his soul did not. He doesn't have the power to love or care about other people. I don't think he really feels an attachment to this world. It's like... he's just watching us on a screen. To him, we might as well be NPCs in a video game."

"So basically, he's a psychopath," Undyne observed.

Solemnly, Frisk nodded. "Basically."

Alphys's eyes widened. "This flower... is it possible that he had control of the timeline at one point?"

Frisk was surprised she had figured it out so quickly. "Yes, he did. He was the World Master before me."

"Oh my God!" Alphys exclaimed. "This explains so much! That's why there were so many resets before you showed up! It was the flower!"

"Wait, the flower reset?" Undyne asked. "Why?"

Alphys frowned darkly. "Well, if he, as Frisk put it, viewed us as NPCs, then..."

Undyne's jaw slowly dropped. "He... he screwed with us?"

Well, they were smart people. Of course they had figured it all out. Frisk whimpered sadly. "He did."

Undyne clenched her fists. "Got it. If I see that flower, I'll kick his ass!"

Frisk threw up his hands. "No! It wasn't his fault! He doesn't have a soul! Take away his compassion and give him time travel powers, how could you expect him not to turn evil?"

"I..." Undyne relaxed. "Well, I guess it's hard to imagine. I have no idea what it would be like if I woke up one day and just stopped caring people, especially Alphys."

She blushed an embarrassed red. "Yeah."

Frisk breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you. He's out there somewhere, and he needs our help. Please, Alphys. Help me find him."

"O-of course," Alphys said, "but... are you sure it's Asriel?"

"It is!" Frisk insisted.

"... I'll believe it when I see it," Alphys said.

Frisk sighed. "Fair enough, just help me find him."

Alphys nodded. "I'll see what I can do. Maybe I can scan for his DT. If he's second in line for World Master, he should stick out substantially."

Frisk was filled with relief. "Thank you, Alphys. I knew I could count on you."

"Uh, yeah," Alphys said. "No problem."

Frisk was truly grateful to have such supportive friends, but there was one more thing he wanted to tell them.

Chara, maybe Alphys can help you too.

Frisk...

Please, Chara. Let me tell her about you. Don't you want to see your family again?

... I don't know, Chara whispered. How can I face them after everything I've done?

Frisk hated this. He was so tried of seeing Chara sad. How could he convince her that she deserved to be happy?

I'm sure they won't hate you, Frisk said. They'll hate what you've done, yes. They'll be disappointed in you, but I don't think they could ever hate you. They're your family.

... fine, Chara said. Go ahead and tell them, but ensure that they do not tell anyone else. Mother and Father must not know until I am whole again.

Frisk beamed. Of course. He looked back at Alphys and Undyne. "Actually, there's something else. Undyne, it's really funny that you compared me to Chara, because..."

Undyne grimaced. "Oh my God, Frisk. Don't tell me Chara is alive, too."

With a sheepish smile, Frisk nodded. "Not exactly. She's inside my head."

"She's... inside your head?"

"Yes."

"A voice in your head?"

"That's right."

Undyne's eye looked like it was going to fall out of her face. "Uh… wow," she muttered. "That's really interesting. I have just one question... what the hell is wrong with you?!"

Alphys flailed her arms. "U-umm, isn't that a little harsh?"

"Oh, come on!" Undyne yelled. "Asriel's a talking flower? Chara's inside his head? He's completely lost it!"

"I'm telling the truth," Frisk said. "I swear."

"Well, prove it!" Undyne demanded. "Prove that Chara is in your head!"

Frisk scratched his head. "Umm… how?"

"M-maybe we can ask you something only Chara would know," Alphys suggested.

"Like what?" Undyne asked.

Alphys straightened her glasses. "Uh… Chara, what's your favorite food?"

"Everybody knows that!" Undyne shouted.

"W-well, we shouldn't jump to conclusions," Alphys said. "After all, I was shocked to find out that Papyrus's favorite food wasn't spaghetti. It's that oatmeal with the dinosaur eggs."

Well, Chara? Frisk asked. What's your favorite food?

Yeah, it's chocolate, Chara confirmed.

Frisk relayed that to the others. "Chara says it is, in fact, chocolate."

"What kind?" Undyne asked.

All of them!

"She says… all of them."

Undyne thrust an energy spear right in front of Frisk's forehead. "Just pick something you creepy ghost thing!"

W-well, I particularly like dark chocolate. All that cacao, that intense flavor and rush of sweetness… mhmm…

"Sh-she says she likes dark chocolate," Frisk answered.

Undyne retracted her energy spear. "Yeah, this is getting us nowhere," she said. "If Chara really is inside your head, how did she get there?"

"My determination brought her back," Frisk explained. "She was buried under the golden flowers I landed on. My powerful soul absorbed her essence, kind of like how the golden flower seed absorbed Asriel's essence."

"I don't understand," Alphys said. "Determination is powerful, but it doesn't bring back the dead. That's... not a thing."

Growing impatient, Frisk folded his arms. "Well, it happened."

Suddenly, Alphys stared at him with a fierce expression. "Actually, if what you say is true, I've got a better question. Chara... why did you kill yourself?"

... right, Alphys had seen the tapes. She knew.

"Wait, she killed herself?" Undyne asked. "I thought she got sick."

Alphys shook her head. "No, it was suicide. She poisoned herself with buttercups."

"Buttercups? Like, the flower?" Undyne chuckled. "Sorry, I shouldn't laugh. It's just... death by flowers? Really? That... sounds really painful, actually."

It was, Chara said.

"Why did she do it?" Alphys asked.

A lump grew in Frisk's throat. "She... wanted Asriel to absorb her soul."

"What for?"

"... to destroy humanity," Frisk answered.

A dark silence fell over the lab.

"... destroy humanity," Undyne muttered. "She... wanted to make her brother kill those villagers."

It pained Frisk's heart to tell them this, but it was the truth. He nodded sadly. "Yeah."

Undyne scowled. "Then, why do you want to save her?"

How could she say that? Frisk's blood boiled. "Don't be a hypocrite. You tried to do the same damn thing. You tried to kill me and give my soul to Asgore, so he could wage war with humanity."

Undyne opened her mouth to protest, but her shoulders slumped. Frisk's words had cut her deeply. "I... guess you have a point," she said.

Had he been too rough? Frisk sighed. "Sorry, I shouldn't get angry. I know what she did was horrible, but please, give her another chance."

Alphys stared at him in shock. "You... really care about her, don't you?"

Frisk smiled. "Yes, I do. I know she's not perfect, but there's so many amazing things about her. She's so strong, and she has suffered so much for the people she loves. I can't help but feel for her. I know most people would hate her, but I just want to make her happy."

After a long pause, Undyne laughed. "Wow, you really are a total weenie."

You truly are, Chara said.

Alphys frowned. "Well, I'm not sure what we can do for her. If her soul is gone, it's not coming back. I can't just make a soul."

"Well, you could," Undyne said. "It's not that hard to make a new soul, if you know what I mean."

"You'd have to take someone else's soul," Alphys said. "That's the only way."

Frisk's heart sank. So, that was it. If he wanted to save Chara and Asriel, he'd have to take the souls of other people.

Frisk… maybe you should just accept that we're dead.

Honestly, if Chara and Asriel were actually dead, Frisk could have moved on, but they weren't exactly dead. Their souls were gone, but their spirits weren't. As long as their minds were still intact, Frisk couldn't give up on them. He had to do something.

"... alright," Frisk said. "What about someone on death row? Could we take their soul?"

"That... could work," Alphys said. "In Chara's case, at least, but Asriel is going to be harder. A human soul won't work for him; he needs a monster soul. Problem is, there are no monsters on death row, and even if there were, monster souls do not survive death, the only exception being boss monsters."

Boss monsters... Frisk thought of Boaris. He felt horrible for thinking this, but part of him hoped that he would do something unforgivable. If Boaris had to die, that would solve all of their problems. God, what a horrible thing to wish for.

Frisk sighed. "Let's just focus on finding Asriel for now."

"Y-yeah," Alphys said. "I will make finding him my top priority."

"Thank you," Frisk said. "I'll let you get to it. Oh, and don't tell anyone who doesn't need to know. Chara and Asriel have both told me to keep it a secret. They don't want their parents to worry about them."

Alphys nodded. "Of course, we won't tell anybody. Right, Undyne?"

"I CAN BE DISCREET!" Undyne yelled at the top of her lungs.

Frisk laughed, and he waved goodbye. "Thank you so much! I'll come back soon."

Alphys waved back. "I hope I don't disappoint you."

"Need a ride home?" Undyne asked.

Frisk shook his head. "No, it's not far."

"Alright, stay safe."

Frisk thanked them again, and he headed back home.

Frisk stepped out of Alphys's lab and back onto the streets. It was around noon, and the traffic on the street was moderate. As usual in Surface Home, the sidewalks were populated with mostly monsters and a few curious humans here and there. As he walked, he spotted Miller's black van circling him. He was so tired of being followed. He kept doing his best to ignore it.

Frisk…

Oh, right!

Frisk unwrapped his chocolate, tore off a piece, and popped it inside his mouth. It was very sweet. He liked it, but not as much as Chara did.

So good! Chara exclaimed. Thank you! And more importantly, thank you for trying to find my brother!

Frisk laughed. I'm glad you have your priorities straight.

Hey, I love my brother! Despite... everything.

Frisk sighed. Chara, please.

… sorry, I know I shouldn't mope. I sound like Napstablook, don't I?

It's okay. You've been through -

Out of nowhere, some human girl yelled at him. "Oh my God! It's Frisk! The Hero of Monsters!"

She must have been one of Frisk's fans. He smiled. He hadn't saved the monsters to become famous, but it pleased him that he had made so many people happy.

The fan ran up to him. She had green eyes, shoulder-length brown hair, and looked about his age. She smiled brightly, but her body was shaking. "Hi, Frisk! C-can I have your autograph?" The girl handed him a plush doll of Toriel to sign.

Well, I never saw this coming, Frisk thought. I just wanted to save the monsters; I never realized I'd be signing dolls of your mother.

Chara laughed. Yeah, look at you! So popular!

"Please sign my Toriel!" the girl exclaimed.

Frisk signed the doll and handed it back. The girl took it and blushed deeply. "B-by the way, are you... seeing anyone?"

Despite himself, Frisk blushed too. Not because of this random girl, but because it made him think of the person he did like. "I… I'm sorry. I… like someone else."

"Oh, I s-see. They must be a lucky person. Well. thanks for the autograph." The girl walked away, looking more than a little dejected.

Crazy fangirl, Chara said. Still, way to lie to her face, Frisk! You could have just told her you weren't interested!

Yeah, I'm a dirty liar.

Now people are going to wonder who this mysterious crush of yours is!

Frisk felt like he got shot right through his soul.

What's wrong, Frisk? Do you really feel that bad about her? Or… do you actually like someone?

… yes.

You do? How could I have not noticed? Who could it possibly be? Wait… oh, no… Frisk...

Frisk's heartbeat skyrocketed. What had he done?!

Don't tell me…

Ch-Chara… I…

You don't actually like TSUNDERPLANE, do you?!

Frisk was simultaneously relieved and disappointed that he hadn't been caught. Haha, no. I was just messing with you. I'm not interested in anyone right now.

Not anyone else, anyway.

Well, you are about that age, Frisk. Maybe you should start thinking about this. Perhaps I shall be your wingman. It will be just like old times.

Frisk felt like his heart was going to explode. He really need to find Chara a soul, so he could tell her how he felt. He didn't know how much longer he could -

CRASH!

Suddenly, Frisk's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a loud, metallic smash. He swiveled his head towards the source and saw a white van had rammed into a black van. The doors of the white van swung wide open, and several people ran out. They were all humans. Their faces were covered in black masks, and they carried assault rifles. They pointed their guns at the black van and fired.

Frisk dropped his chocolate.

Chara's voice trembled. W-well, this is happening, apparently.

Frisk winced as the chorus of gunfire deafened his ears. His heart pounded his chest. What the hell was happening?! What should he do?

Frisk, run!

Not wasting another moment, Frisk turned and ran as fast as his legs would carry him, but several bullets flew right by him and struck the ground in front of him, warning shots. Frisk's ears rang as the bullets shot past. He froze in terror.

"Protect Frisk!"

Frisk's security team laid down suppressing fire, forcing the attackers into cover behind their white van. Meanwhile, Agent Miller ran out to Frisk and grabbed his arm. "Come on! We have to move!"

R-right.

Frisk suddenly did not resent his protectors so much. He ran with Miller back towards their black, armored van. They were just a few steps away, when a bullet shot through Miller's abdomen. He whimpered and fell to the ground, and a red pool of blood spread over the pavement beneath him. Frisk's eyes widened in horror. Why? Why was this happening?

"Frisk!"

Another Military Police agent who Frisk didn't recognize jumped in front of him, shielding him. Suddenly, the agent's body convulsed wildly as multiple gunshots pounded into him. He screamed; his blood was smeared all over Frisk's shirt as his dying body slid down it. Frisk fought the urge to vomit. He felt so helpless. People were dying all around him, and there was nothing he could do about it.

RESET! Chara screamed.

Right, right! Once Frisk reset, he'd warn the Military Police of these attackers, and everything would be fine! Frisk reached for his SAVE file...

LOAD FAILED

... what?

No...

You've gotta be kidding me.

Chara was just as shocked. Of all times for that to happen...

All of Frisk's breath left his body. If he couldn't reset, that could only mean one thing, someone else had become World Master.

BANG! BANG! BANG!

More bullets shattered Frisk's ears, and he felt someone grab his arm. He gasped and turned to face his captor; he was wearing a black mask, one of the attackers. Two more assailants pointed their rifles at his head. Frisk couldn't control his quivering body. "Wh-what do you want from me?!"

One of the attackers slammed the butt of his rifle into Frisk's face. The world blurred, and they threw him into their van.

Chapter Text

"Be careful in the outside world, okay?"

-Asriel Dreemurr

Frisk! Wake up!

FRISK!

"Look who's awake now."

Frisk opened his eyes. He was in a large and dark room, strapped down to a chair by metal shackles, and a strange man was looking at him. Everything felt like a horrible dream. Was this actually happening?

The man walked closer to him. He winced. The man was hideous. His skin looked like it was… melting. Tan droplets dripped down onto the floor he stood on, like ice cream that had spent too much time in the sun. What the hell had happened to this guy?

... I'm going to call him 'Melty,' Chara announced.

Fitting.

Melty gave a devilish grin and placed one of his drippy fingers on Frisk's cheek, like a caress. His skin felt... cold, which seemed counterintuitive considering that it was melting. He was as cold as a corpse.

Get your fucking hands off of him, Chara growled, not that anyone could hear her.

Although nearly paralyzed with fear, Frisk forced himself to speak. He repeated the question he had asked earlier. "Wh-what do you want with me?"

Melty stared at him with vicious red eyes, yet another determination soul. "Frisk, Hero of Monsters, the one who ended millennia of captivity. I am honored to have such a prestigious guest in my home."

Frisk detected sarcasm. "Like hell you are."

Melty flashed a menacing grin. "Maybe not, but I'm sure a lot of people would be. Especially Asgore. I wonder how he'd feel if he saw you like this."

Frisk gasped. So, that's what this was. He was being held for ransom. Damn it, damn it! How had he been so careless? Why couldn't he reset? Who was this man? Was he the new World Master?

He examined the man more closely. Now that Frisk thought about it, he looked a lot like an amalgamate, one of those monsters who had overdosed on DT. The way his skin melted looked just like them. Frisk began to piece it together. Melty must have injected himself with an unholy amount of DT, making him the World Master, but causing his body to break down from having so much more DT than it could naturally handle.

Melty touched Frisk's cheek again, smearing his melted skin on it. "I wonder, just how far would the monsters go to keep you safe? They owe their freedom to you; don't you think it's only fair if they gave it back for you?"

Frisk's blood drained from his face. He couldn't be serious. Would the monsters really go back underground to keep him alive? No, that was insane. Frisk wasn't worth the freedom of an entire race. He would rather die! There was no way...

He thought of Asgore, how much he cared for him. If Melty forced him to choose between freedom and Frisk's life, he knew what Asgore would say. He would choose Frisk, wouldn't he? And whatever choice he made, the monsters would follow. The monsters were a kindhearted people, perhaps too kind for their own good. Metly's plan... could actually work.

Oh, God!f

Frisk trembled with fear. "Wh-why?"

Metly hooked his fist into Frisk's nose, and blood spurt out of it.

STOP HURTING HIM! Chara screamed.

Melty scowled. "'Why?' Do you really need to ask that? Some of us liked the monsters exactly where they were. We're going to send them back, one way or another."

He struck Frisk again, splitting his lip. He winced as he spat out more blood. "Please, just give us time..."

Melty laughed sadistically. "'Please?' That's all you have to say? 'Please?'" He struck again. blackening his eye. "I can't believe we are on the brink of destruction because of a soft little shit like you!" He slammed his fist into his nose again, making it gush blood.

Frisk didn't dare speak again. He only coughed, a metallic taste filled his mouth. His nose, eye, and mouth throbbed with pain. He had suffered through worse torment, but without his resets, he was more scared than he had ever been in his entire life. If he died this time, that was it, no coming back.

Melty lowered his fist. "Looks like you're learning, good." He took out a cellphone and pointed it at Frisk. "Smile for the camera!" The phone lit Frisk up with a flash, and Melty turned away. "Thank you, Frisk. If the monsters are as nice as you think they are, you'll be out of here soon."

Melty walked away, but he left two guards in the room. Not that Frisk could slip out of his restraints, anyway. He sniffled, holding back his tears. He wasn't supposed to be hear. He was supposed to be home, with Toriel, watching anime or playing games. Why was he here? Held hostage by these terrorists?

Ch-Chara, Frisk sobbed. What do I do?

I... I don't know, Frisk.

Frisk tugged on the shackles holding him down. They were tight; he could barely move an inch. He wasn't going anywhere.

… this is why I did it, Chara muttered. I know there plenty of good humans in this world, but what does it matter? How could the humans ever trust a species that can become gods so easily? How could we have expected another outcome?

In this situation, Frisk found it difficult to argue with her. At this rate, it was entirely possible that the monsters would end up back underground.

But...

We haven't lost yet, Frisk said.

But what can we do? Chara asked.

... nothing, Frisk admitted. We are powerless right now, but... I have faith in our friends. Maybe they'll find a way to save us, or maybe Asgore won't surrender to these terrorists. If I have to die for them, so be it.

... you really are an amazing person, Chara whispered. Frisk, if we die here, I... I am so glad to have met you.

Frisk grimaced painfully. He was willing to die to protect the monsters, but he couldn't stand the thought that Chara would die with him. She couldn't die yet. She still had to make things right with Asriel, with Toriel, with Asgore. She had to live!

He looked around the room, desperately searching for any means of escape. It was a large, industrial-looking room, and there were crates full of guns and explosives all over the place. These terrorists were no joke; they were preparing for war. The two guards near him were outfitted in full combat armor. One of them noticed Frisk looking around; he walked up to him.

"Frisk," the guard growled. "If it weren't for you, none of this would be necessary."

"It's not necessary!" Frisk yelled. "It doesn't have to be –"

That earned Frisk another punch in the eye. "Shut up!"

Frisk cried out in pain. Why had he opened his stupid mouth? He didn't dare make another sound while the terrorist glared at him with intense hatred in his blue eyes. "You're so nice," the terrorist sneered. "Let's see how nice you are when we peel off your fingernails."

"N-no, please!"

YOU'LL DIE FOR THIS!

The guard pulled back his arm for another strike. Suddenly, something green wrapped itself around it. "Wh-what the...?"

The green rope twisted the guard's arm, breaking it with a loud snap. He screamed. The other guard whipped around to face him, and several white pellets of magical energy pierced his chest. He gurgled as he bled out on the floor. The guard with the broken arm raised his rifle in search of the assailant, when the green rope wrapped around his neck, snapping it. He collapsed to the ground, dead.

On legs sprouted from his stem, a flower crawled over the recently deceased terrorist. He gave Frisk an innocent smile. "Howdy!'

Chara gasped. B-Brother...

Frisk quietly called out to him "Asriel?"

He scowled. "It's Flowey."

Frisk whimpered. "Sorry."

Asriel – Frisk refused to think of him as Flowey – picked up a key from one of the dead guards, and he used it to unlock the chains that bound Frisk. "You're getting out of here. Things wouldn't be very interesting if you died now."

Frisk got out of the chair. He looked down at the two dead terrorists. Did they have families? People who loved them? What if they were someone else's Chara?

Do not mourn them, Chara said. It was them or us.

... kill or be killed.

Frisk looked at Asriel. He had some questions. "How did you know I was here?"

"We can talk about that later," Asriel said. "Right now, just find some cover and stay quiet. They will be here soon."

"Who…?"

Frisk heard gunfire. Melty and several of his men frantically rushed into the room and shut the door. "It's the Military Police!" Melty yelled. "Take them down, and kill the kid if they get too close!"

Before the terrorists could fully prepare, the Military Police soldiers blew the door open, and another vicious firefight ensued. Frisk's heart pounded as a hailstorm of bullets flew across the room and cracked with those ear-shattering. metallic bangs. All he could do was run into a corner and wait for it to end.

"Bang and clear!"

An MP soldier threw a flashbang grenade into the room, and most of the terrorists were blinded and gunned down before they could regain their senses. The terrorists screamed as the room was painted red with their blood. Frisk heard the sound of souls shattering. Melty ran back to Frisk's chair and was startled to see it empty, but it didn't take him long to spot Frisk in his corner. He shrieked as Melty sprinted towards him.

"Melter! Going after Frisk!" an MP solider called out. "Take him down!"

Melty pointed a pistol at Frisk, but the entire squad of MP soldiers shot him before he could fire. His entire body exploded. His blood and his melted flesh sprayed all over Frisk. The smell was revolting. He once again fought the urge to puke. Frisk sat down and curled up into a fetal position. He sobbed. He just wanted to go home and forget this ever happened.

The gunfire died down. Once all the terrorists were dead, Agent Miller walked up to Frisk and reached out his hand. "You're safe now."

Agent Miller? He was alive? Frisk looked at his lower torso. There was still blood drying on the spot he had been shot. What a trooper, jumping right back into the fray after an injury.

Frisk looked around the room, horrified by the blood and corpses. "So many dead..."

Miller furrowed his brow. "Yeah, that's what happens to terrorists."

"Did they really have to die?"

Miller sighed. "Look, kid. I know you feel very proud of yourself for how you handled Mount Ebott, but this is the real world. Out here, that kind of attitude will get you killed. Sometimes, you have no choice but to fight. Sometimes, you have to kill a few to save many. Sometimes, people need to die. You have to accept that."

Frisk knew Miller was right, but that didn't mean he had to like it. He got back on his feet. "Maybe they did," Frisk admitted. "Just don't take pleasure in their deaths. Terrorists or not, they were still people. They probably felt like they had no choice."

Miller raised an eyebrow. "Is that what you were thinking while they tortured you?"

He winced. No, it was certainly not.

Miller turned away. "Stay right there. We need to sweep the area, make sure there are no stragglers."

Now that Melty was dead, Frisk felt his power return. He could reach his save file again! He could undo all of this! Frisk prepared to reset.

Frisk, no! Chara yelled.

What? Why?

I know you are not in the best mental state right now, but think about this! If Melty was the World Master, that means he will remember everything that happened here. If you reset, you will give him another chance. He will adopt a different strategy. He might kill you, and you will be lost forever. We cannot take that risk.

But… Frisk sighed. Chara was right. It was too dangerous. He couldn't gamble with people's lives like that, and if he died, Chara would die too. You're right. I have to move on. He smiled. You care about me, Chara.

Of course I do; I'm attached to your soul. The only way I couldn't care about you is if you were suicidal.

With a heavy heart, Frisk created a new save point.

Come to think of it, why didn't Melty reset? Frisk wondered.

That's... a good question, Chara said, Perhaps his body was too unstable or something. I suppose that while he was able to block your power, he was not able to control it for himself.

How convenient, Frisk said.

It sure is! Chara chirped.

Frisk knew that Miller had told him to stay put, but why would he listen to that? He had his SAVE file back. He was fine. He got moving and looked around the room. Asriel followed him.

"So, how did you find me?" Frisk asked again.

"That's... not important," Asriel deflected.

Frisk smiled. This reminded him of his adventures underground. Sometimes, when he turned around, he caught a glimpse of a flower burrowing into the ground. This was the same thing, wasn't it? "You've been following me, haven't you?"

Asriel didn't respond. Frisk grinned. "You missed me!"

"Shut up," Asriel muttered.

To think, after all that time worrying where he was, Asriel had been close by all along! Isn't this great, Chara? We already found him.

Indeed, Chara said. That is one less thing to worry about.

Frisk continued searching the room. He found a conspicuous table tucked away in the back. On the table he found several pistols, rifles, grenades, a knife, and a cellphone. Frisk quickly recognized the knife as Chara's as the cellphone as his own. He retrieved them. He also saw something else, something of incredible interest. On the table was a glass capsule, a red heart floated inside.

It was a human soul.

Chara, are you seeing this?

I am.

A red human soul.

Indeed.

How convenient, Frisk said.

It sure is! Chara chirped.

Frisk almost didn't believe it. Aside from almost dying horribly, could this day get any more perfect? He had found Asriel, and he had found a red human soul. If he had just found a spare monster soul, he'd be all set! Frisk took the glass capsule and stored it inside his dimensional box.

While he was at it, he checked the table to see if there was anything else useful, and he noticed a few syringes filled with a yellow liquid, extracted determination.

That's probably how Melty got his extra DT, Chara surmised. He must have been siphoning it from the soul. He won't be needing it anymore.

Frisk grinned. I guess not. He took the syringes as well. No doubt they would come in handy. Hooray for the spoils of war!

"Whoa, there," Asriel said. "What'cha need a human soul for?"

"It's a long story," Frisk said.

"Come on, spill! I need to know!"

As a flower, Asriel was nothing if not curious. Frisk smiled. "You want to know? Meet me by Chara's grave tomorrow. Let's say... around nine in the morning."

Asriel's eyes widened at that name. "Ch... Chara? Chara's grave? Why there?"

"You'll see..."

"What's going on? Frisk, Frisk!"

"It'll be easier if I show you."

Asriel paused, and his eyes flashed with the spark of realization. "You can't be serious..."

Chara, may I tell him?

... go ahead.

Frisk nodded. "Chara's not gone. She's still around, inside my head."

"... if that's true," Asriel said, "then why didn't you tell me sooner?"

"I think you can relate," Frisk said.

"Right..." He stared at him with a hopeful expression. "Does she miss me?"

God, yes, Chara said.

"She does," Frisk said. "Very much so."

Asriel smiled. "I miss you, too. It's weird. I shouldn't care about you. I don't care about you, but I still miss you somehow."

Frisk had thought Asriel might have needed a little more convincing, but maybe it didn't seem as crazy to him given his own resurrection. He had probably spent so much time searching for Chara. Frisk was so glad that they could finally be reunited after all these years.

He had just witnessed hell itself, but at least something great was going to come out of it all. Chara had been trapped in Frisk's head for so long, but he was finally going to see her with his own eyes! Although, Frisk still felt so sorry for all those poor agents who died trying to defend him. Despite what Chara had said, he felt kind of guilty for not going back to save them. He would never forget the bone-chilling sensation of that dying agent sliding down his body, but Frisk had made his decision. He wasn't going to reset. He was going to continue.

"Asriel, I'll see you tomorrow," Frisk said. "Tomorrow, we are going to save her. We're going to save Chara."

"I can hardly wait," Asriel said. He scanned his eyes up and down Frisk's body, and he smirked. "Be sure to shower well for the occasion."

... right, Frisk had almost forgotten that he was drenched in Melty's blood and gore. His entire body reeked of death. He gave Asriel an embarrassed smile. "Uh, yeah, I guess that would be nice!"

I need to look good for Chara, after all!

What was that, Frisk?

N-nothing!

Uh, alright.

Phew! That was a close one.

"Anyway," Asriel said, "Toriel's probably losing her mind right now. You should probably get back to her."

Frisk nodded. "Yeah, as soon as the Military Police is done with their search."

He waited for a while. Finally, Miller walked up to Frisk. "Alright, area looks clear. We'll escort you back home."

"Please do," Frisk said.

With the soul safely in his dimensional box, Frisk let the Military Police take him home.

"FRISK!" Toriel ran to Frisk as soon as he was safely delivered home. She covered her mouth in horror when she his brutally beaten face, and all the blood and melted flesh still stuck on him. "I cannot believe anyone would do this to you!" she cried. "I am so glad you are okay! A-are you okay?'

"Yeah, I'm okay," Frisk reassured her.

Toriel hugged him tight, not caring about the stench. "I do not know what I would do if something happened to you. I have already lost enough children."

Not for long, Frisk thought. He hugged her back. "I'm not going to die. I promise."

The two of them silently hugged for a while. God, to think that he may have never seen her again. After a long hug, they eventually parted. Toriel smiled. "I am glad you are all right, but please clean yourself up. Let us wash away this horrible nightmare."

"Sounds good," Frisk said.

Toriel frowned. "Just let me ask one thing. You did not have to hurt anyone, did you?"

He shook his head. "No, the Military Police took care of that."

"Well, I would not hold it against you if you did. You are worth protecting; you understand that, no? I know I told you to talk out everything. You should never desire conflict, but remember that even I had to use force at times. It is how we met, actually. I still cannot believe that pitiful flower tormented you."

Poor Flowey, Chara said.

"I guess you did," Frisk said. "You also fireballed Asgore when he was about to fight me."

Toriel laughed nervously. "Y-yes, I supposed I did."

She... she has assaulted her whole family! Chara realized.

Wait, did she fireball you, too? Frisk asked.

Well, if you count when she fireballed you, then yes. I felt the pain too, you know.

Toriel blushed. "Perhaps I may have used a little too much tough love."

"... about that flower," Frisk said, "maybe he wasn't really so bad. Maybe he, umm, just needs a talking to."

Toriel frowned. "Oh, Frisk, I doubt that very much. That flower was a miserable creature."

Frisk internally groaned. How was he going to explain the truth about him?

Toriel turned her frown into a smile. "But enough of that! The important thing is that you are safe and unharmed!"

"Uh, yeah," Frisk said. "Well, I'm going to shower now."

Toriel nodded. "All right. I will make you some more pie while you do that."

"Thanks, Toriel."

"Of course, Frisk."

Frisk left to shower, to wash away the blood and sorrow. It had been a very terrifying day, but tomorrow was going to be much better. He was sure of it.

It was almost time to save Chara.

Chapter Text

After a refreshing shower, some delicious pie, and a good night's sleep, Frisk woke up the next day filled with determination. He wasted no time getting ready, putting on a fresh set of clothes and joining Toriel for breakfast. He made himself some waffles and sat down at the kitchen table.

"Good morning, Frisk," Toriel said. "If you do not mind me asking, what are you going to do today?"

"I'm going to… see some friends," Frisk answered.

Toriel frowned. "Are you sure it is safe for you to go out so soon after…"

"I'll be fine, Toriel. After all, I can't put my life on hold over those terrorists."

Toriel sighed. "I suppose that is true."

Frisk quickly finished his waffles and got up to leave. "They're expecting me soon, actually. I gotta go!"

"Oh, all right. Do you require transportation?"

"No, I've got it."

"Very well."

Frisk walked away and opened the front door, taking one last look at Toriel before leaving. "I'll come back safe."

"See you later, Frisk… be good, alright?"

Frisk smiled. "Of course."

He headed outside.

Frisk kept moving and reached Mount Ebott. Unlike last time, there were no Military Police guarding it. Frisk moved through the abandoned security checkpoints without a fuss.

Want to take the short way? Chara asked.

I would rather walk this time, if you don't mind.

Haha, I was just kidding! Take your time! I've already waited a year. An extra hour or so won't kill me!

I see what you did there.

Chara giggled inside Frisk's head; she was so adorable!

Frisk traveled through the underground. He felt a sense of nostalgia as he walked through it, and yet, it was all so different. The whole place had become so empty. There wasn't a single person to be found in the once bustling city of New Home. It was like a ghost town, frozen in time.

He kept moving and walked inside the old MTT Resort. It was eerie seeing such a nice hotel just completely abandoned. Frisk looked at the Royal Memorial Fountain. Fortunately, the water - which used to spray outside the fountain for some incredible reason - was turned off, but Mettaton's statue was still there.

I love Mettaton, Frisk thought, but this has to be the most disrespectful thing I've ever seen! That fountain was built in memory of you and Asriel, and he had the nerve to causally slap a statue of himself on it!

Indeed, Chara said. He has not a shred of respect. However, this issue is irrelevant to the task at hand.

But it's so arrogant and insensitive! I'm gonna have to talk to him about this!

Just keep moving, Frisk.

Oh, alright… you won't be dead much longer anyway.

Frisk left the hotel and moved through Hotland. As he walked, Chara continued to keep him company.

This place was hell, Chara said. Don't get me wrong, I loved the monsters who lived here, but it is very difficult to survive without sunlight. It was overcrowded, resources were scarce. Sometimes, we felt like we were just going to die down here. However, it was our home. It was safe from the outside world, away from the humans, and we did the best with what little we had.

How inspiring, Frisk said.

Of course, if the humans had never started the war, we never would have faced such hardship.

Yeah...

He took the elevator down to Hotland. As he walked by the river, he saw a familiar boat with a familiar robed figure standing on it, River Person. Frisk walked up to them, bewildered. "River Person? What are you doing here?"

"I am the River Person," they said. "I love to ride in my boat. Would you care to join me?"

Frisk blinked. "Uh, you know the Barrier's broken, right?"

"So it has," the River Person said, "but the river still lingers, and people still linger as well."

"Wait, there's still people here?" Frisk asked.

The River Person nodded. "Every now and then, I see people not unlike yourself pass by."

"You mean, humans?"

"Perhaps."

What the hell are humans doing here? Chara growled.

I don't know, Frisk said, but that's not why we're here.

"They seemed particularly interested in the abandoned laboratory," the River Person said.

Alphys's lab? That was weird. What were they doing there? Well, whatever. Frisk didn't have time to worry about that. He had far more important matters to attend to. He gave the River Person a friendly smile. "Hey, mind giving me a ride?"

"Of course not," they replied. "Come on in."

Frisk went into the River Peron's boat, and they were off. The boat quickly sped through the river that ran through most of the Underground, towards Snowdin.

"Tra la la," the River Person sang. "Won't you sing with me?"

Frisk wasn't the greatest singer, but he gave it a shot. He closed his eyes and sang "Uh... t-tra la la."

Don't quit your day job, Frisk.

Hey, it was good enough for Shyren!

Aww, fear not, I only jest. You have a lovely voice, Frisk. Very attractive.

He blushed. Are you flirting with me?

Yes! You've corrupted me with your flirty ways! Hahaha!

Frisk felt like he was going to faint.

Hey, lighten up, Chara said. I'm only joking with you.

Y-yeah, right! Of course!

For someone who flirts so much, you seem easily embarrassed when the tables are turned.

Uh, yeah, I guess so.

"Tra la la," the River Person sang. "Humans, monsters… flowers."

The River Person said the strangest things.

Soon, the boat arrived at its destination. The River Person dropped off Frisk at Snowdin. He thanked them and moved through the abandoned town. After walking through Snowdin and the Ruins, Frisk reached the flower patch where Chara was buried. Asriel was there waiting for him. He retrieved the soul he had found from his dimensional box.

"Is this really happening?" Asriel asked. "I thought Chara was gone forever. I didn't think I would ever see her again."

Frisk summoned a shovel from his dimensional box and started digging. "You'll see her soon."

"Golly, dimensional boxes are really convenient," Asriel remarked.

They sure are! Chara exclaimed.

Asriel helped Frisk dig. Together, they dug up Chara's body. She was wrapped up in bandages like a mummy. They picked up her body and placed it on solid ground. Slowly, Frisk unwrapped her face. She was surprisingly well preserved; she looked just like she did in the photo. The monsters must have imbued her wrappings with protective magic, a testament to how much they cared for her.

Frisk, wait, Chara said.

Huh? Why?

I... have some concerns, Chara said. I have no doubt that this operation will change me. Even if it works, will I be the same person? What if the Chara you know dies, and someone else takes her place?

Frisk... hadn't really thought about that, but it made sense. There was no telling what would happen if Frisk gave her this soul. What if it did change her? What would happen to the bond he had built with her?

... it didn't matter. Chara needed her own soul. She couldn't remain attached to Frisk's soul forever. Starting today, Chara would have the power to make her own choices again, to carve her own fate. Frisk smiled warmly. "Whatever happens, I can't keep you prisoner forever. You deserve to be free."

Although she currently lacked a body, Chara took a deep breath. Frisk, I... I hope the new me likes you.

I can't wait to meet her, Frisk held the hand of Chara's body; it was so cold. Umm, how do I get you inside?

You're already doing it.

Oh, great... are you ready?

Do it, Frisk. Fill me with determination!

Frisk grinned. Knowing that Frisk is about to fill you with determination… fills you with determination!

They laughed at each other's bad jokes.

"What the hell are you doing?" Asriel demanded. "Get on with it!"

"I'm going!" Frisk said.

Frisk opened the capsule and held the soul over Chara's chest. It slid inside. He then pulled out a syringe filled with the extracted determination that he had stolen from the terrorists. He pressed the needle into Chara's arm.

I guess this is it, Frisk. See you… outside.

See you soon, Chara.

Frisk injected Chara with determination. After that, all he could do was wait.

Chara...?

There was no response.

The next few moments were some of the longest in Frisk's life. He stared at Chara's closed eyes and prayed that this would work. Before long, he began to panic; his heart pounded with fear. What if it didn't work? What if he had lost Chara forever? The mere thought of this possibility filled Frisk with dread, but he clung to his hope that Chara would awaken. It hadn't even been that long, just a few seconds, but it had already felt like an eternity. Come on, Chara! Wake up, please!

At last, Frisk felt a pulse. Chara gasped as she took her first breath in a hundred years. Her blood red eyes opened and stared back at him. "Frisk…"

Frisk was filled with joy. He had done it! Chara was back! Frisk had saved her from death itself! After years of existing as a spirit, she could finally live again! Oh, Toriel and Asgore were going to be so happy! Chara was alive! Chara was alive!

Also, she was even cuter in person than she was in the photo. Frisk was entranced by the life in Chara's pretty red eyes.

For the first time, Frisk spoke to her out loud. "Chara..."

Chara smiled. "I'm happy to see you too, Frisk."

Frisk felt his own red eyes well up with tears of joy. "I'm just glad you're alive."

"All thanks to you," Chara said. She looked at Asriel. "You too, Brother. If it weren't for you, Frisk and I may both be dead now."

"Don't thank me," Asriel said. "I'm just doing what I want."

Frisk helped Chara stand. She staggered, struggling to maintain her footing.

"Sorry," Chara apologized. "Haven't walked in a while."

"Take your time," Frisk said.

Chara tried to take a step, only to wobble and nearly fall over. Frisk caught her before she hit the ground. "Are you alright?"

"Quite," Chara said. "Do not fear for me; I can handle this." With renewed determination, Chara took another step. She stumbled, but she did not fall over. She took a few steps, and soon enough, she was walking as well as any grown human. Chara bowed triumphantly. "See? I just needed a little warm-up."

Frisk smiled. "Yeah, you won't let a hundred years of being dead stop you."

Chara smiled back, and she moved close to him. She wrapped her arms around him in a tight hug. Frisk blushed. She had been a corpse just a few moments ago, but she was already so warm. "Chara…"

She cupped Frisk's cheeks with both hands, tenderly caressing him. "This feels so nice..."

Frisk face flushed with a deep red; his heart soared. He nearly squealed. Oh my God! Oh my God! She's so wonderful.

Suddenly, Chara gasped and quickly pulled her hands away. "Oh! Please forgive me, Frisk! It was not my intent to cause you discomfort! It has just... been so long since I've been able to feel another's touch, so..."

Frisk recovered from his embarrassment and laughed it off. He hugged her again. "It's okay."

Chara smiled, hugging him back. "Thank you…"

Frisk didn't want to let go. He had dreamed of this moment since the day he had met Chara. Even if she didn't love him the way he loved her, he truly hoped that she would live a long, happy life. They held on for a while longer, and they parted with smiles.

Frisk retrieved something from his dimensional box, Chara's heart locket. He handed it to her. "Here, this belongs to you."

Chara took the locket and held it in her hands. The golden heart shined in the sunlight coming from the hole in the cavern. God, it brought back so many memories. She stared at it closely, reading the inscription.

Best friends forever.

Best friends forever, huh? Heh, some fucking friend she had been. She looked at Flowey, not Asriel, and her blood red eyes filled with tears. "Brother..." She collapsed to her knees, tears dripping down her face. "Oh, God! A-Asriel! I'm s-so sorry!"

Flowey stared at her blankly. He reached out a vine and gently pat her shoulder. "Well, I can't say I'm holding a grudge over it."

"But you should!" Chara yelled. "What I did to you was unforgivable! If I hadn't gotten that stupid plan in my head, you never would have died! We could have lived happily with Mother and Father, but I just had to fucking ruin it!"

Frisk winced as Chara wailed like a pathetic little baby. She knew that she was breaking his heart, but she couldn't stop herself. How could she? She had gotten her brother killed. Her sweet, innocent brother, turned into a soulless abomination. What in this miserable world was worth crying over if not this?

Chara sobbed. "Y-you said it yourself. I wasn't the greatest person. Frisk is the friend you deserved, not a psychotic bitch like me."

Even Flowey grimaced. "I know what I said," he whispered, "and I don't take it back. You weren't the greatest person, but... you weren't the worst person, either. If you think I was implying that I hated you, well, that's just not true."

Chara sniffled. "I owe you my life, Asriel. When I fell underground, I thought for sure I was going to die down there, all alone, but then you came. You saved me, and how did repay you? I fucking got you killed, and I tried to make you slaughter my entire hometown. How could you possibly forgive me for that?"

"I... don't know," Flowey said. "I just do. Asriel cares about you, Chara. You're his sister. He could never hate you."

Chara laughed bitterly. "Asriel, huh?" She slammed her fist on the ground. "God damn it! You were an innocent child, the kind who would never hurt a fly, and I turned you into this. A soulless creature almost as sick as I am! I guess I got what I fucking wanted, didn't I?"

Frisk knelt down and hugged her again. She didn't push him away, but she didn't hug back, either. She just sat there, watering the flowers with her tears. "I d-don't understand," she sobbed. "You should hate me. I'm a horrible fucking person."

"If that were true, you wouldn't be crying," Frisk said.

She stared into his dark red eyes. "Do you not understand, Frisk? I would have killed them all, every human on Earth, and you never would have been born."

"I know."

She didn't understand. She couldn't understand. "Th-then, why? I... I don't deserve this."

"Even if that's true, I don't care."

"Frisk..."

They said nothing for a while. Chara just kept keep crying. Her red eyes must have been even redder. God, how pathetic did she look right now?

"... Chara," Flowey said, "remember where I was the last time Frisk saw me? Right here, by your grave. I could have gone anywhere to spend my last moments as Asriel, but I spent them with you, Chara."

Oh, Asriel. He really was too precious for this world. Chara sniffled. "I love you, Asriel. Even though I messed everything up, I still love you."

"I know you do," Flowey said.

She meant that. She knew it was hard to believe. She knew that most people would see her as a cruel and sadistic manipulator who had taken advantage of Asriel's trust, but that wasn't the truth. Despite everything, she really did love her brother, and she always would.

Chara wiped her tears away, and she got back on her feet. "Brother, I'm going to do better. I promise."

Flowey smiled. "Asriel would be glad to hear that."

Frisk kept hugging her. Another long silence passed.

"How are you feeling?" Frisk asked.

"A bit better now," Chara answered. "Heh, sorry, Asriel. Since when was I the crybaby?"

"It's okay to cry," Flowey said. "I don't think you would be human if you didn't."

Chara did not shed tears lightly. She hadn't even cried when she had accidentally poisoned Father. She had just laughed it off, because she had not wanted to show how scared she was. However, she had to admit, it felt good to let it all out for once.

Frisk gave her an awkward look. "Umm, Chara, don't take this the wrong way, but... do want your knife back?"

Ha, nothing like a little dark comedy to lighten the mood.

Chara thought about it. Her royal dagger was meant for cutting plants and vines in Asgore's garden, but it also happened to be an excellent tool for murder. After everything she had done, how could she accept it so easily? No, if she wanted her knife back, she had to earn it. Chara shook her head. "Not yet, but please hold on to it for me."

Frisk nodded in understanding. "Alright."

Chara took a deep breath. It was time to stop moping around. "Let's get going," she said. "It is time to see my mother."

Frisk smiled. "Yeah, Toriel is going to be so happy to see both of you."

Flowey gasped. "Wait, what? That wasn't part of the deal!"

"You're going, Asriel," Frisk commanded.

"But, I... Asriel didn't want to break her heart again."

Frisk clenched his fists. "Asriel, do you really think that's what they want?"

"I know exactly how they'll feel," Flowey said. "They can't know about me; they can't."

Chara didn't like this anymore then Frisk did. She scowled at him. "Why are you so insistent on giving up?"

Flowey whimpered. "I..."

"Mother and Father deserve to know," Chara said. "They deserve the truth."

Flowey sighed. "Fine, you win. If you're gonna go see them, I guess I'll go too."

Frisk grinned. "Alright! Let's go see Toriel!"

Chara was filled with dread, but like she had said, Mother deserved to know the truth. If she hated Chara for getting Asriel killed, or for trying to kill all those humans, then that was what she deserved. Chara steeled her nerves, and she followed Frisk to Mother's house.

Frisk stood alongside Chara and Asriel in front of Toriel's home. He could tell that Chara was nervous, but she was determined to do this. Frisk knocked on the door. A few moments later, Toriel opened the door. "Welcome back, Frisk. Did you... oh! Who is your…"

Toriel's eyes widened, and her mouth opened wide in shock. "Wh-who are you?"

Chara frowned. "It's me, Mother."

Toriel continued to stare in disbelief. "N-no, that is impossible." She pinched her arm.

"This isn't a dream," Frisk said. "I'm sorry I never told you, but the truth is, Chara's actually been inside my head for a while. When I landed on her grave, my determination awakened her from death. She's been with me this whole time."

Toriel shook her head. "This cannot be real. It has to be another dream, but... this one feels so real." She glanced at Asriel, and she clenched her teeth. "What... are you doing here?"

"We'll get to that later," Frisk said. "Just focus on Chara for now."

"One hundred years," Toriel whispered. "It has been over one hundred years, and I buried her myself. This simply is not possible."

Chara smiled. "Mother, I know that I'm a Dreemurr, but you're not dreaming."

Toriel sobbed. "Ch-Chara..."

Chara approached her. With a serene smile, she held her hand. "This is real, Mother. It's really me, your daughter."

Toriel burst into tears and held Chara tight in her arms. "Oh, Chara! My dear child! How is this possible? You were dead!"

"I was," Chara said, "but not anymore."

"We don't really get it ourselves," Frisk said. "I mean, I don't resurrect ghosts every time I visit a graveyard, so I'm not sure why Chara came back, but the truth is right in front of us."

"... how did she come back?" Toriel asked. "With her body, I mean."

Frisk explained as clearly as he could. He told her that he found a human soul in the terrorist hideout, and that was all he needed to revive Chara.

"I still cannot believe this," Toriel said. "It all seems far too good to be true."

"I know," Chara said. "I was so confused when it happened. I was supposed to be dead, but I wasn't. I don't understand this anymore than you do, Mother."

"I... give me some time," Toriel said. "Perhaps given time, I can accept this is real, and not yet another dream. I do wish it were real, but I cannot live a fantasy."

Chara nodded. "Of course, Mother. I love you."

"I... I love you too, my child."

As heartwarming as this was, Frisk had another bombshell that he needed to drop. "Toriel," he said, "I know this is a lot to take it, but it doesn't stop there." He pat Asriel's face. "See this flower? I know this sounds even more crazy, but... this is Asriel, your son."

Toriel stared at him silently for quite some time. "... what?"

"H-howdy," Asriel said. "I know I look different, but yeah, I'm Asriel, your son. Well, I'm also not, but I kind of am. It's complicated."

"Wh-what does that mean?"

Frisk also explained that as clearly as he could. He told her how Alphys injected determination into a flower, and he told her that Asriel was soulless, how he was unable to feel love or compassion.

"You... cannot love?" Toriel asked. "Then, how are you Asriel at all?"

That stung Frisk. He understood Toriel's point. Without his soul, Asriel certainly wasn't a complete version of himself. However, even without his soul, Frisk liked to believe that there was still a lot of Asriel left. After all, when Chara didn't have a soul, she had still called herself Chara. She hadn't felt the need to change her name. Of course, maybe that was just Chara's point of view. Still, Frisk couldn't bring himself to think of Flowey as Asriel as two completely different people. He wanted to forgive Asriel for what he had done, not use Flowey as an excuse for his crimes.

"It's complicated," Asriel repeated. "I have all my memories, and a lot of things about me are the same, but I just can't care about others. That's the only thing I'm missing."

"But, that may be your most important trait of all," Toriel said.

Asriel frowned. "Yeah, but just because I don't care about anyone, doesn't mean I don't want to care, you know? I still miss being Asriel, so much."

After another pause, Toriel laughed strangely. "This... this actually feels more believable. It is just as fantastical, but at least it is not purely wish fulfillment. Dreams can be strange, but if this is all nothing more than my imagination, well, I have certainly outdone myself!"

How many times did Frisk have to tell her this? "It's not a dream," Frisk said. "This is all real."

Toriel covered her eyes and took a deep breath. "Forgive me, my children. I need some time to myself. Perhaps if I rejoin you after a few moments, I shall believe you are real."

Chara nodded. "I understand, Mother. Take all the time you require."

"C-come inside," Toriel said. She turned and walked into her house. Frisk and the others followed her in. They stayed in the foyer while Toriel retreated to the living room.

"So, what should we do now?" Frisk asked.

"How about lunch?" Chara suggested. "I am starving. I haven't eaten in one hundred years."

Frisk smirked. "Yeah, that's quite the fast."

While Toriel retreated, they went to the kitchen. Frisk walked up to the refrigerator and opened it. "I think we have some -"

Chara ran in front of Frisk and reached inside the refrigerator. She immediately grabbed a bar of chocolate and started eating. Her red eyes sparkled like she was in heaven.

Frisk smiled. "Okay, Chara. Just this once, you can have chocolate for lunch."

Chara laughed. "I know I need to eat something healthy! My body needs nutrition after being dead for so long!"

Frisk made roast beef sandwiches for Chara and himself. For Asriel, he retrieved a magical glamburger. Asriel had said that he could only eat monster food; trying to eat physical food would go horribly wrong. Frisk and Chara set the table, and they all sat down.

They didn't say a word while they ate; they were all exhausted.

Eventually, Toriel entered the room. "So, you are both still here." She sat down at the table. "Perhaps this is real after all."

Chara fixed her with an intense gaze. "Mother... there is much that I have to tell you. I know you are already overwhelmed, but I cannot wait. Prepare yourself. I fear what I must tell you may come as a great disturbance. I am sorry, truly I am, but... I am not as great a child as you remember."

Toriel blinked. "W-well, whatever it is, I am certain that I will not hate you for it."

She frowned darkly. "Don't be so sure."

Frisk's heart flipped. Chara was seriously going to tell her. "Wait!" he exclaimed. "Chara, are you sure about this?"

"I have to tell her," Chara said. "I won't be able to live with myself otherwise."

Chara told her everything. She told her how she had poisoned herself with buttercups, how she wanted Asriel to absorb her soul, and how she had tried to make Asriel wipe out her village and wage war with all of humanity. Toriel sat quietly throughout the whole story.

"No words can atone for what I've done," Chara ruefully said. "Asriel's death, Asgore's actions, they were all my fault. I am such a rotten child. You loved me. You adopted me into your family, and I destroyed it. I don't expect you to forgive me."

"... you are wrong about one thing," Toriel said. "Do not blame yourself for your father's sins. Regardless of your own crimes, Asgore's actions were his own. He has only himself to blame for what he has done."

"What of my sins?" Chara asked. "At the very least, everything I have done is as bad as Asgore, and you do not forgive him for it. How can you forgive me but not him?"

"... perhaps you are right," Toriel said. "You and your father's crimes are of the same severity. However, your father was not my child. You were my child, and as my child, I share some responsibility for your actions. I should have understood how deep your distrust of humanity ran; I should have done more to assure you that everything was going to be okay. I am sorry, my child."

Once again, tears collected in Chara's eyes. "Y-you are sorry? How can you say that? How can you apologize to me after all that?"

"You are my child," Toriel said. "it is as simple as that."

Chara tears fell onto the table. "I didn't want to let you down. I… didn't climb the mountain for a very happy reason. I had nothing, but you gave me everything, and all I did for you in return was poison Father. I couldn't just sit around! I had to do something! You were all counting on me to save you, but I couldn't. I'm a failure."

"You never owed us anything," Toriel said. "I still love you, my child."

Toriel stood up, and she embraced Chara in a warm, motherly hug. Slowly, Chara hugged back. "I… I love you too, Mother."

Aww, this is so cute!

Frisk was so happy to see Toriel reunited with Chara. He had been worried at first. He easily could have seen this conversation going a completely different way. Perhaps in another universe, where Toriel was less forgiving, she would have screamed at Chara. Perhaps she would have called her a traitor, a murderer, or perhaps she denied it, demanding whatever creature that Chara was to stop disguising herself as her dead daughter, but fortunately, that was not what happened. Frisk was so glad. He dearly hoped that this family could be happy again.

Toriel let go of her, and she laughed. "Chara, much like Frisk yesterday, your hygiene has seen better days."

Frisk had been too distracted to notice before, he realized that Chara did kind of smell. She smelled like, well, like a corpse. Her green sweater and brown pants had some tears on them, and her auburn hair was a mess. Yet, underneath the stench of death, Frisk could also smell the pleasant aroma of the golden flowers that she had been buried under.

Chara smiled. "Yeah, I haven't changed my clothes or showered in decades. Sorry about that."

Frisk scoffed. "Okay, Chara. We get it. You're over a hundred years old. You can stop playing that joke now."

"Says the guy who pet Lesser Dog about a hundred times!" Chara retorted.

"Point taken."

"I still have some of your clothes around here," Toriel said. "I could... never bring myself to throw them away."

"... Mom," Asriel said. "This is partially my fault, too. I should have talked Chara out of her plan, but I didn't. I even handed her the buttercups that she killed herself with. That... was not something a brother should ever do."

"I do not wish to hear any more of this," Toriel said. "I am dissapointed in both of you, but you are still my children. Let us put it behind us. Chara, you go ahead and shower. I shall prepare your clothes."

Chara nodded. "Very well... and, thank you, Mother. I don't deserve your kindness."

"Thank me by taking care of yourself," Toriel said.

She smiled. "All right."

Chara walked away, heading for the bathroom. Frisk stared at her fondly as she left. It occurred to him that this was the first time they had been separated ever since they met. It was an odd feeling. Part of him felt empty, like he had lost a piece of himself, but at the same time, he felt... relieved. As much as he liked Chara, it was often uncomfortable knowing that he was always being watched. It was nice to finally, well, get some space. That said, he looked forward to spending more time with her.

"I guess I'll just go to my room now," Frisk said.

He left, and Asriel followed, walking on legs sprouted from his stem. Frisk went inside his room sat on his bed.

"Hey, Frisk," Asriel said. "How's Chara been this past year?"

"As good as anyone can be while trapped in someone else's body, I guess."

"It sounds like you really helped her," Asriel said. "She was a little... upset when she died. She used to hate humanity so much. I almost can't believe you changed her mind."

"I believe in her," Frisk said. "Despite her flaws, she is a beautiful person. I'm so glad I found her."

Asriel smiled mischievously. "So… when are you going to ask her out?"

Frisk nearly jumped out of his bed. "Wh-what?!"

"Don't play dumb! You don't think I noticed the way you were looking at her? How you turned to jelly when she hugged you? You're totally crushing on her!"

Frisk blushed. "It's really that obvious? Then, does she…?"

"No, I don't think she has any idea," Asriel said.

Frisk nervously twiddled his fingers. "Do you… think she likes me too?"

Asriel raised his vines in a shrug, "Who can say? She just got a new soul. Give her some time. In any case, you're the one who's had her in your head this whole time. What do you think?"

"W-well… I know she likes me," Frisk said. "I just don't know if she likes me… that way, and I'm afraid to ask if she does. I don't want to make things awkward between us."

Asriel laughed. "Oh, really? Since when are you are afraid to flirt with someone?"

"Hey, it's different when it's with someone I'm actually interested in!"

"Heh, I guess it would kind of suck to mess things up with someone you've spent literally every waking moment of an entire year with. Also, isn't she kind of your adoptive sister?"

Frisk cringed. Why did he have to go there? He shook his head. "No, Toriel never adopted me. I just stay with her."

Asriel sarcastically nodded. "Uh-huh, sure. Whatever you say."

His face reddened. "Oh, screw you!"

"I mean, did you seriously tell her not to adopt you just because you have a thing for Chara?"

Frisk sighed. "No, it's not that."

"Oh, really? What is it, then?" Asriel asked.

He could have told him about his dead mother, but there had already been enough waterworks that day. Instead, Frisk smiled. "Honestly, do I really need parents after everything I've been through?"

"Ha! You've got a point there! But, come on, let's be honest. It's totally because you think Chara's hot!"

Frisk snickered, and he playfully tugged on Asriel's petals. "Bad flower! Bad!"

Asriel sneered. "You dog. You should just keep it pure, like I did! Chara and I are best friends forever, and that's all we need to be!"

Frisk realized that Asriel might have known Chara better than he did. Unlike him, Frisk had never known Chara when she was truly alive. "Hey, what does Chara like?" he asked.

An excited grin spread across Asriel's face. "Well, just off the top of my head, she likes chocolate, drawing, gardening, reading, games, anime, and she likes to scare me with that creepy face of hers!"

Trying to imagine that last one made Frisk smile. "How could Chara scare anyone? She's too cute to be scary!"

"Yeah, it's both cute and scary! Ask her to show you sometime!"

"You can do a pretty scary face too, at least in that flower."

"Yes, I learned from the best."

Frisk smiled. "Well, thanks for the information, even though none of it was news to me."

"Well screw you too!"

Frisk laughed. "It took a while, though. When we met, Chara didn't trust me at all; it took some time to earn that. It wasn't until we got to the surface when she really opened up to me. She wouldn't even tell me her name until I figured it out myself!"

Asriel smiled. "Ah, yes. Chara was always slow to warm up to people, and I was no exception. It takes a long time to earn her trust; it's like she thinks the whole world is out to get her."

He knew exactly what Asriel was talking about. He nodded. "Yeah..."

To take his mind of things, Frisk turned on his TV. On it was a news report of the attack that had happened the day before. They discussed how the terrorists had kidnapped Frisk and blocked his reset ability. Fortunately, no civilians had been harmed, but of course, a few Military Police agents had been killed, as well as several terrorists. The report concluded by reminding the audience that unauthorized DT injection was potentially fatal, and a severe criminal offense punishable by years of imprisonment.

Frisk still felt bad for all the people who had died. It was tough, knowing that he could try and save them, but chose not to. Still, Frisk knew he couldn't save everyone. People died everyday. As much as it hurt, he had to let the timeline continue.

A while later, Chara entered the room. She had a fresh change of clothes. A... green sweater with a single cream stripe, and brown pants, the same thing she was wearing before.

"After all those years, you don't want to mix it up?" Asriel asked.

"Why would I?" Chara asked. "Do you have a problem with my fashion sense?"

Frisk smiled. "Your fashion sense is amazing."

She giggled, and she sat down next to Frisk on his bed. "I'm glad you agree."

Frisk felt a jolt run through his body. Coming right out of the shower, Chara smelled so nice, and she had sat down so close to him. He did his best not to blush. "Umm, yeah, no problem."

"You know," Asriel said, "there's still one thing I'm curious about. Where did the terrorists get that soul, and where did they get all those weapons?"

Frisk froze. He hadn't even thought about that. He had been so eager to revive Chara that he hadn't stopped to consider whose soul that really was. God, he felt like a selfish jerk. He frowned. "Yeah, that soul must have belonged to someone once, but… I'm pretty sure they're dead now. I don't who they were or how they died, but regardless, I thank them for making this possible."

They held a moment of silence for the human they never knew.

"I hope I'm worth it," Chara said.

Frisk smiled. "You're worth it to me."

Chara blushed. "Th-thank you, Frisk."

"Now that's the Frisk I know," Asriel whispered.

"So, what do you want to do now?" Frisk asked.

"I just want to stay here with you guys," Chara answered.

He smiled. "Okay. We have a lot ahead of us. How about I introduce you to some of my other friends tomorrow? We… don't have to tell them everything, of course."

Chara nodded. "Yes, that's... probably best."

"I'm sure that everyone will like you!" Frisk said cheerfully.

Chara frowned. "If they learn the truth about me, I doubt that very much."

Frisk smiled faded a bit, but not completely. "Chara, you already have three people who say otherwise."

Chara still frowned, but there was also hope in her eyes. "Alright, Frisk. I'll try to be a better person."

Well, that was all Frisk could ask for, wasn't it?

They spent the rest of the day together.

Chapter Text

"Hey, Sis! What'cha drawing there?"

"Ah! Is that a… a monster? But, why does he look so… nice?"

"You… really like monsters, don't you?"

"N-no, don't worry! I won't tell Mom or Dad! Your secret's safe with me!"

"I love you, Sister!"

Frisk was once again awakened by the smell of cinnamon and butterscotch. He smiled.

Ah, Toriel. How are we supposed to stay healthy if you keep spoiling us like this?

Frisk got out of his couch. Toriel didn't have any spare beds yet, so Frisk had insisted that Chara should get to sleep in his bed. He checked on her; she was still asleep.

"I love you too, Brother," Chara whispered in her sleep.

Aww, look at her. She's dreaming of Asriel. How adorable!

Asriel was asleep as well, resetting in a flower pot on Frisk's nightstand. He decided to let them sleep. He took the slice of pie that had Toriel left him and walked to the kitchen. Toriel was sitting at the kitchen table. Frisk joined her.

Toriel smiled. "Good morning, Frisk!"

Frisk smiled back. "Good morning, Toriel!"

"Is Chara still asleep? She has always been a night owl!"

"Is she? I know she and Asriel were still awake when I went to sleep."

Suddenly, Frisk realized something, something that terrified him. What if Asriel had told Chara that Frisk...

"Well, I am glad you are all getting along!" Toriel happily exclaimed.

He… he wouldn't, would he? No, he wouldn't do that! I'm sure they were just catching up. They must have missed each other so much.

"So, Frisk," Toriel said. "you said you wanted to introduce Chara and Asriel to everyone, did you not?"

Frisk returned his attention to Toriel. "Yeah… how are we going to explain it, though?"

Toriel stroked her chin "Hmm... I suppose that you should not them everything you told me."

He nodded. "Probably not…"

"People will recognize Chara sooner or later," Toriel said. "She was awfully famous back in the day. As for Asriel, well, there are no flower monsters in this world. People may begin to speculate that Asriel is not truly a monster at all, but rather a different creature entirely. Although it will be difficult to believe, I have decided that it is best to tell everyone the truth about his identity."

"I'll just introduce them to my friends for now," Frisk said. "We'll try to keep a low profile."

Toriel smiled. "Very will! If you do not mind, I shall join you! And I have already invited one person to come with us!"

"Really? Who?"

Toriel giggled. "You shall see."

A few moments later, Chara entered the kitchen, and Asriel was ridding on her shoulder. Frisk smiled at them. "Good morning!"

Chara smiled back. "Good morning, Frisk!" She and Asriel sat down, and she ate her pie.

"It's delicious as always, Mother," Chara said bittersweetly.

"Only the best for my children!" Toriel replied.

"Chara, are you ready for today?" Frisk asked.

"Quite." She smiled at him. "As long as you're with me, I'm sure this will be fine."

Frisk swore that the temperature in the room had shot up. He knew that she hadn't meant to sound romantic, but still…

Come on, Frisk. Keep it together.

He nodded and smiled back. "Yeah, we'll do this together."

"Aww, how sweet," Toriel said.

Asriel grinned. "Yeah, just two platonic friends getting along!"

Frisk stared daggers into him. Why, that little...

Someone knocked on the door. Toriel's guest had arrived.

"Knock, knock," a familiar voice called.

Toriel grinned. "Who's there?"

"Toriel."

"Toriel, who?"

"Toriel's best friend!"

Toriel opened the door, letting Sans inside. She hugged him. "Aww, you are so sweet."

"They sure get along well, don't they?" Asriel whispered. "I wonder if they'll ever..."

Frisk laughed. "Nah, I think they're just really good friends."

Chara frowned. "I'm... not sure how I would feel about that."

Friok was a bit surprised to hear that, but he understood. "I know what you mean," he whispered. "I wasn't around when they were together, but I heard they used to be really happy together. It makes me sad, but I don't blame Toriel. She and Asgore are on somewhat good terms. I can't ask for more than that."

Chara sighed. "Another consequence of my actions..."

"HELLO!" another familiar voice shouted.

"Oh, yeah," Sans said. "Papyrus came too."

Papyrus practically flew into the room. "I heard we're making new friends!" he exclaimed.

"Yes!" Toriel answered. She reached out her arm and presented them. "Sans, Papyrus, please meet my long lost children, Asriel and Chara!"

Silence.

Sans scratched his skull. "Uh… what?"

Chara whimpered nervously, and Asriel just stared blankly. Papyrus pointed at him. "Hey! I know you! Flowery, right?"

"Umm, yeah," Asriel said. "That's me. I'm Flowey. Flowey the Flower."

"But also Asriel," Frisk added.

"Uh, Tori," Sans said. "Are you okay? Last I heard, your son was a goat, not a flower. Oh, and that he's dead. That, too."

"I wanna be a flower!" Papyrus shouted. "Teach me!"

"No," Asriel sad. "No, you don't. Trust me."

"I was just as shocked as you are," Toriel said, "but it is the truth. These are my children."

Sans stared at Asriel. "How did that happen, I wonder?"

Asriel avoided eye contact with him. "It's c-complicated." he said. "You know how at funerals we spread the dead's dust on their favorite thing so their essence will live on inside that thing? It's kind of like that, except I'm actually alive."

"Huh," Sans said. "You know, you look familiar. Have we met?"

Asriel shuddered.

Sans dimmed his eyes and stared at Asriel. "Hmm… that expression…"

"Wh-what about it?"

Frisk didn't like where this was going. Why did Sans get so scary sometimes? "S-Sans, what are you doing?" he asked. "You're scaring him."

The light returned to his eyes. "Ah, nothing."

What the hell? Does he... know what he did? How would he know?

Sans waved at him. "Hey, Frisk. I heard you got kidnapped the other day. That was a thing, huh?"

Frisk laughed nervously. "Uh, yeah, it was a thing."

Papyrus looked at Chara. "So, Frisk's clone is your child, too?"

Chara introduced herself. "Greetings, I am Chara. I am not… a clone of Frisk, but Toriel is my adoptive mother. Long ago, she and Asgore adopted me into their family. They raised me alongside Asriel as if I were their own child, but then I… died of a terminal illness. However, Frisk's determination was able to awaken me from death."

"Well," Sans said. "I guess you can say that Frisk de-terminated you!"

Everyone but Papyrus laughed… a little.

"Damn it, Sans!" Papyrus yelled. "Let's just introduce ourselves to the nice human, okay?"

"I'm sorry, where are our manners?" Sans apologized. "Hey, Chara. I'm Sans. Sans the Skeleton."

"And I am the Great Papyrus!" he exclaimed.

Chara bowed. "I am honored to make your acquaintance."

Ah, Frisk loved it when Chara talked all formal and stuff. She was so eloquent, like the badass princess she was. It was so cute!

Sans laughed. "Kid, I know you're royalty, but you don't have to act all fancy around friends."

"It is no trouble," Chara replied.

"Relax, kid," Sans said. "Any friend of Frisk is a friend of mine. You don't have to act so dead serious." He winked.

Chara smirked. "Very well, I'll try to... liven up."

Sans and Toriel laughed heartily; Papyrus did not.

"NO! WHY?!" Papyrus grieved. "Well, despite your encouragement of my brother's terrible sense of humor, new friends are always welcome! I'll have to make you some of my artisan spaghetti sometime!"

Frisk saw Chara wince dreadfully. He didn't blame her. Papyrus's cooking was still barley edible. if even that. Perhaps it would have helped if he had actually tried his own cooking, or received more lessons from someone who wasn't Undyne.

"I, uh, look forward to that!" Chara said with a forced smile.

"I guess we should get going," Frisk said. "Funnily enough, we actually asked Alphys to help us find Asriel just before we got kidnapped, so we won't have to explain everything to her. I'll call her and let her know we're coming."

Frisk dialed Alphys's number. She picked up. "Oh my God, Frisk! Are you okay?"

"Oh, yeah," Frisk said, "but listen to this! I found Asriel!"

"I know! Toriel told me all about it! We're all waiting for you!"

"Wait, who's -"

Frisk heard the sound of a loud crash followed by a rustling noise. "You're on your way?!" Undyne asked. "Awesome! I'm gonna tell Asgore! You should get over here, NOW!"

"Undyne, wait!"

Undyne hung up... so much for being discreet.

Frisk looked at everyone and smiled. "Okay, I guess Asgore will be there too!"

Toriel groaned. "I know he deserves to see them, too."

"AWESOME!" Papyrus boomed. "Let's go introduce our new friends!"

'What could possibly go wrong?" Sans asked. "Nothing's wrong with being undead. We're skeletons, after all." He winked. "Just don't eat anyone's brains, okay?"

"Of course not," Chara said,

"Umm, that was a joke, kid."

"R-right."

Frisk grinned. "They were only mostly dead! But they got better!"

"If you say so," Sans said. "Nothing weird about bringing the dead back." His voice deflated. "Nothing at all…"

Frisk blinked. "Is something wrong, Sans?"

He smiled as usual. "Nothing at all, buddy!"

Okay, Frisk didn't know what that was about, but it was his business. He decided not to pry.

"Anyway," Sans said, "shouldn't we get going now?"

"We should," Toriel replied. "We cannot keep Alphys and the others waiting. Let us make haste."

"Absolutely," Chara said. "It is time for us to see Father."

Frisk couldn't wait. He was confident that Asgore would be happy to see them.

Toriel opened the door, and they all headed outside.

Frisk and the others walked along the streets of Surface Home and headed for Alphys's lab. It was the morning rush, so there was a large crowd. Frisk noticed that there were more humans than usual. Recent events must have sparked a surge in their curiosity. Chara's normally rosy cheeks turned pale. She clutched Frisk's arm and hid behind him.

Frisk was surprised by this act. Why was she so afraid? "What's wrong?" he asked.

"The crowd is judging me for my sins," Chara claimed.

Frisk couldn't help but giggle. "Don't be ridiculous. They don't even know you."

That said, Frisk's presence had always drawn attention. A lot of people were indeed watching them, and Chara's behavior was only making it worse.

"Who's that kid with Frisk?" someone asked.

"Why is she dressed just like him?"

"Why is she holding his arm like that?"

They quickly reached their own conclusions.

"Oh my God! Frisk got a girlfriend!"

"One of his fans finally got him!"

"Aww, they're cute together!"

Chara blushed a deep shade of red. She immediately let go of his arm and stepped away. "F-Frisk, I'm so sorry!"

"It's okay," Frisk said. "Let's just keep moving. We can't draw too much attention."

"Yeah…"

Asriel hopped on his shoulder. "I bet you enjoyed that," he whispered.

"Shut up."

They kept moving. Even with Chara acting more inconspicuous, her presence alongside Frisk still attracted many inquisitive stares. Asriel also attracted a lot of attention. Several of the monsters stared at him in awe, wondering if he was a new type of monster.

"Ha, I'm not," Asriel muttered. "I'm not a monster; I'm just a flower."

Toriel picked him up and held him close. "You are my son."

"Yeah, yeah..."

As they continued walking, Sans kept staring closely at Asriel, making him very uncomfortable. "H-hey, what are you looking at?"

Sans glanced at Papyrus. "You said you knew this flower, yeah?"

"I sure do!" Papyrus exclaimed. "He would always tell me such nice things! And he was the one who told me to gather everyone by the Barrier before it broke!"

Sans tilted his skull. "Oh, really? Interesting..." He kept staring at Asriel. "That's very interesting."

"I know!" Papyrus chirped. "He is such a nice flower!"

Frisk really didn't like the way Sans was acting around him. It was clear that Sans didn't trust Asriel, and perhaps that was justified. Still, if Sans dared hurt him, Frisk... would be very upset.

This simple walk felt like an eternity. They kept moving. Alphys's lab wasn't much further. Frisk hoped they would reach it without making a scene.

"Is that… Chara?!"

Oh, come on!

Frisk frantically swiveled his head around. Who had said that?!

A large monster walked up to them. It was none other than Boaris. He stared at Chara. "I'll be damned. There's no mistake! It really is you! Chara has returned!"

"Boaris?" Frisk asked. "What are you doing here?"

"Just passing through," Boaris said. "Why? You think I am to spend my whole life locked away?"

"No," Frisk said. "Just seems fancy meeting you here, that's all."

"Indeed," Boaris said, "but I have to ask, how is Chara alive? Hadn't she died?"

The entire crowd was staring.

Frisk sighed. This was already getting tedious to explain. "Long story short, my determination brought her back from the dead."

All the bystanders listening in went absolutely nuts. They chattered and shouted with amazement over Frisk's apparent resurrection abilities.

"Did you hear that? Frisk brought someone back from the dead!"

"Frisk really is a god!"

"Frisk is god! Frisk is god! Frisk is god!"

Frisk felt a pit in his stomach. Apparently, he was God now. What could possibly go wrong?

Boaris hummed. "Hmm, interesting. A World Master's determination is powerful, but it's not known to bring back the dead. Not typically, that is."

Wait, typically? What? Did Boaris know something? "What... do you mean by that?" Frisk asked.

"An ancient legend," Boaris said. "It happened during the Human-Monster War. They say a certain human warrior went mad after being forced to destroy his own brother's soul. The mad warrior grew exceptionally powerful, and he ranted that his brother was alive, making him stronger. Those who had witnessed his strength firsthand had a difficult time doubting his words. Some say that his brother had indeed survived, inhabiting the warrior's body as a demon."

Frisk felt a chill run down his spine. A... demon?

"... is that what I am?" Chara asked. "Am I a demon?"

Boaris laughed. "I believe you would know more than I do."

Chara frowned. "I'm afraid I do not, sir."

"How did it happen?" Boaris asked. "Frisk, how did you first discover her?"

"She... was a voice in my head," Frisk said.

Boaris nodded. "Just like the demon in the legend. And now you've returned her to her own body?"

"That's the gist of it, yes."

"Fascinating," Boaris said. "Perhaps the mad warrior's brother really was a demon."

Well, if Chara was a demon, then she was a good demon. There were plenty of good monsters, after all. It was the same thing.

Boaris turned his attention to Asriel. "I heard the news; that flower is really Asriel?"

Word traveled fast, apparently. Frisk nodded. "It is."

"Incredible!" Boaris exclaimed. "You've brought back both of the royal children, but… why is Asriel a flower? Chara has her true form back, does she not? Why not Asriel?"

"Monsters are harder," Frisk explained. "Dr. Alphys is the one who resurrected Asriel back like this. She's… still working on it."

"I see," Boaris said. "Well, I suppose this old boar has kept you long enough. Send Asgore my regards."

Frisk nodded. "We will."

As Boaris walked away, Frisk and the others resumed their walk to Alphys's lab.

Frisk frowned. Running into Boaris seemed like a very strange coincidence. Very convenient, too convenient. That seemed to be a recurring theme lately. So much had happened in just a few days. The kidnapping, Chara's new soul, Boaris's new job, were they all connected somehow? There were so many questions. Who were those terrorists, really? And where had that soul come from?

He looked at Chara, and a dark thought entered his mind. What would happen if they found out that Frisk had stolen that soul, or what if they found out about Chara's past? Would they let her live?

No, they couldn't just kill her over the stolen soul, right? And as for her past, she technically had already been pardoned for her crimes. The Human-Monster Treaty explicitly stated that all citizens of the Kingdom of Monsters could not be charged by the World Government for any crimes they had committed prior to the Barrier's destruction. This protection included Asgore, who had declared war on humanity and killed six humans. Since Chara had, indeed, been a citizen under Asgore's rule, the treaty applied to her as well. She was safe.

"I have a bad feeling about him," Chara whispered. "I cannot explain why, but something feels... off about him."

"I feel the same way," Frisk said.

"Glad it's not just me," Chara said. "Let's keep an eye on him, okay?"

"Yeah."

They kept walking. It had been a long and awkward walk, but Alphys's lab was finally in sight.

Chapter Text

At last, they reached Alphys's lab. Frisk knocked on the door. Alphys opened the door, smiling and waving. "H-hi, everyone!" Her gaze shifted and focused on Asriel. "So, you're Asriel?"

"I used to be," he answered. "I prefer 'Flowey' these days."

Alphys frowned sadly. "I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have been so careless with my experiments."

Asriel smiled. "What are you talking about? If it weren't for you, I wouldn't be alive at all!"

"But, you don't have a soul? Isn't that kind of a problem?"

Asriel shrugged. "Eh, it's not your fault."

Frisk couldn't have agreed more. Alphys had done nothing wrong. There was no way she could have known that the flower would turn into Asriel, and thanks to her, they had a chance to save him. Sure, the Underground had to suffer a lot because of Flowey, but if it weren't for him, the Barrier may never have been broken. Strangely enough, it had all worked out in the end. At least, it eventually would, once they found Asriel a new soul.

"Hey! Are Asgore's kids here yet?"

Undyne ran to the door. She grinned wide when she saw Asriel. "Aww, so that's him? He's so cute in that widdle flower!" She turned her attention to Chara. "And how did you get your own body so suddenly? I thought you were just a voice in Frisk's head."

Chara bowed deeply. "Greetings, Undyne. I am Chara. It brings me great pleasure to finally make your acquaintance."

"Uh, charmed," Undyne said. She reached out her hand. "It's nice to meet you, too. Frisk seems to like you a lot."

Chara stared awestruck at Undyne's hand before slowing reaching out and shaking it; she grinned as if she were meeting a rock star. "You are too kind."

Frisk laughed to himself. Chara had always liked Undyne, and it wasn't hard to see why. They were very much alike, both strong-willed and determined, and they were both willing to risk their lives for monsterkind. Frisk could tell that Chara was thrilled to meet her.

"I must say," Chara said, "you are an incredibly impressive warrior. I just wanted to tell you that."

Undyne laughed. "Damn right I'm cool! Uh, sorry about trying to skewer your friend, by the way."

Chara laughed. "Think nothing of it. You only wished to save monsterkind; I can relate."

Undyne smiled nervously. "Right, right," she said. "Hey, Frisk, come here for a second." She pulled him close and whispered to him. "Hey, do they know about the, you know, the whole poison thing?"

"Only Toriel," Frisk whispered.

Undyne let go of him and kept smiling at Chara. "Yeah! It's such a shame you got sick, but it's a miracle that you're here now!"

Chara frowned. "I... appreciate your concern."

"Well, why don't you all come inside?" Alphys offered. "Everyone's waiting for us!"

Frisk smiled. "Yeah... wait, what do you mean by 'everyone?'"

They walked inside the lab, and Frisk couldn't believe what he saw. Inside the lab was a huge crowd of monsters ablaze with excitement. Frisk could only assume that they had all come to celebrate the return of Asriel and Chara. What was supposed to be a small gathering of their close family and friends had turned into a massive party.

"Uh, Alphys," Frisk whispered, "what is this?"

"S-sorry," Alphys apologized. "When Toriel told me everything, I told Undyne everything, and then Undyne might have told… everyone?"

"Is that a problem?" Undyne asked.

"... it's okay," Frisk muttered.

Undyne grinned. "WELL, TOO LATE NOW!"

Chara's body trembled, but not as badly as it had outside. She could handle monsters better than humans, but the sheer size of this crowd...

"Are you okay?" Frisk whispered.

"Y-yes," Chara said. "As long as I stay out of the spotlight, I'll be -"

Suddenly, the lights dimmed, and a spotlight shined brightly on Chara and Asriel.

"... you have got to be kidding me," Chara said.

"OH, YES!" a certain robot celebrity announced. "Beauties and gentlebeauties, the guests of honor have arrived! Behold, the long lost Prince of Monsters, son of Asgore and Toriel, Asriel Dreemurrrrr! And, by his side, the long lost Princess of Monsters, the original Fallen Human, Chara Dreemurr! Let's give them both a round of applause!"

The entire crowd scrambled to get a good look at the royal children. Toriel blocked the way with a nervous smile. "E-easy now! Do not push each other! Let us keep everything nice and order -"

Frisk lost sight of Toriel in a sea of ecstatic monsters. Everyone was both in awe and in disbelief that Asriel had somehow turned into a flower.

"That's really Asriel?"

"What happened to him?"

"Can I touch your petals?"

They were interested in Chara as well.

"That's the human they adopted?"

"She reminds me of Frisk!"

"Can I touch your heart locket?"

Chara covered her face while all the monsters clamored around her, but Frisk could also see her smiling behind her hands. Although she was loathe to admit it, she was enjoying this, like a...

During the commotion, Tsunderplane 'accidentally' bumped into Frisk. "Hey! Watch where you're going!" Tsunderplane yelled.

Frisk gave them a flirtatious smile. "Sorry, gorgeous. I was just distracted by your dazzling beauty."

Tsunderplane blushed angrily. "Wh-what?! You sicko! It's not like I bumped into you on purpose or anything!"

Frisk raised an eyebrow. "Why, I thought I bumped into you."

Tsunderplane huffed. "Well, I just meant that... you are... you know!"

"I'm afraid I don't know," Frisk said. "Why don't we go someone more private, and you can tell me all about it?"

"Oh my God! It's not like I like you, idiot!" Tsunderplane flew off in a trail of smoke… they would be back.

With Tsunderplane out of the way, Mettaton approached Frisk. He was currently in his metal box configuration, rolling along the floor. Frisk still wanted to scold him for defacing the Royal Memorial Fountain, but he just couldn't stay mad at the robot. Instead, he simply smiled at him. "I should have known you would be here."

"How could I miss an event such as this?" Mettaton replied. "You have brought back not one, but two royal children who we all thought were dead. I don't believe that even I can overstate how grateful we all are. You truly are the Hero of Monsters."

Frisk couldn't help but blush. "Ah, it was nothing, but Asriel is the one you should be thanking. He's the one who saved me; he's the real hero here."

Mettaton gave an electronic gasp. "Are you saying that Asriel was the one who saved you from those dastardly kidnappers?"

Frisk nodded. "He sure was."

"I love it!" Mettaton screamed. "You'll have to tell me more later, but we'll save that for another episode." Mettaton addressed the crowd that was swarming everyone. "Beauties! I know you're thrilled to see our prince and princess again, but give them some space! They need to see their father!"

The monsters obeyed Mettaton's command. They moved away from Chara and Asriel, giving them some space.

Frisk smiled, honestly surprised. "Wow, that was thoughtful of you, Mettaton."

Mettaton drew a smiley face on his screen. "I can't wait to broadcast Asgore's reunion with his children!"

"Ah, there's your angle. I should have known."

"It's just show business, darling!"

Free of the mob, Frisk rejoined Chara and Asriel. "Glad that's over," Asriel said.

"Something wrong?" Frisk asked.

"Oh, fine," Asriel said. "Everything is fine."

Frisk felt bad for him. He imagined that it must have been awkward for him to recieve so much admiration from the people he had tormented, but it wasn't the time to dwell on that. He beckoned him onward. "Come on," he said. "Let's go see Asgore."

Chara and Asriel's father wasn't hard spot. He stood tall above most of the other monsters. They found him quickly. With deep breaths, they approached him. Asgore's eyes widened as he saw Asriel and Chara.

"My children," Asgore breathed. "Asriel, is it true? Is that really you?"

"Sort of," Asriel said. "If you can call me 'Asriel' without my soul."

Asgore turned his head. "And Chara?"

She nodded. "It is."

Before long, Asgore's glistened with his tears. "I cannot believe… this cannot be real…"

Asriel nodded."Yeah, Mom thought the same thing, along with anyone else who was sane, but it's true."

Asgore's tears started falling. "Asriel, Chara, ever since you died, I wanted nothing more than to see you again."

Asriel smiled. "Sorry, Dad. I know how emotional you are right now, but I can't say I feel the same way."

Asgore nodded. "Yes, Alphys told me as much, but there's one thing I don't understand. Why didn't you reveal yourselves sooner?"

"I'm sorry," Chara apologized. "Neither of us wanted you to know. We were soulless, and we didn't want to break your heart. We thought it would be better if you just forgot about us."

"I... see," Asgore said. "However, I am glad that you told me. These are tears of joy, not sorrow. No matter what state you are in, I am glad to see you again."

Asriel sighed. "I know…"

"Chara," Asgore said, "what about you? Are you soulless as well?"

Chara's eyes widened, and she she leaned close to Frisk. "What do we tell him?" she whispered.

Frisk didn't want to lie to him. "We tell him the truth," he whispered back.

Chara took a deep breath. "No, I have a soul," she answered.

Asgore frowned. "May I ask where it came from?"

"I... found it," Frisk whispered quietly. "Whoever it belonged to was already dead."

Asgore stared with a disturbed expression, but he nodded in understanding. "Very well, we may speak no more of this."

"Yes, that is probably best," Chara said.

Asgore turned his gaze towards Toriel. He smiled."So, our children have returned. That is great, is it not?"

"No thanks to you," Toriel hissed.

"Oh! Asgore's ex sounds a little hostile!" Mettaton commentated. He was standing next to Napstablook, who was levitating a camera pointed at Asgore and Toriel.

Napstablook spoke with despondent voice. "I wish they could just get along..."

Toriel snarled as she ignited a fireball in her hand, staring venomously at the camera. "Stay out of this!" she snapped.

Napstablook immediately put the camera down, their voice filled with terror. "S-sorry! I didn't mean to intrude."

No, but Metatton had.

Asgore whimpered. "Toriel, I never wanted to do it."

"Is that what you said to the six humans you murdered?" Toriel asked. "Did you tell them how sorry you were before you robbed them of their lives?"

Asgore looked away in shame. "Yes, it was."

Toriel folded her arms in disgust. "Ugh, you truly are a pathetic welp, Dreemurr."

Asgore closed his eyes, saying nothing in his defense. Chara, on the other hand, scowled and clenched her fists. "You have no right to insult him."

Toriel faced her with wide eyes. "My child?"

"Father was only trying to save his people!" Chara yelled. "After Asriel and I perished, the our kingdom - your kingdom - fell into despair. The humans had once again stolen their future. Father did everything he could to restore the people's hope, and what did you do, Mother? What did you do to restore hope to your kingdom? Nothing! You ran away! You abandoned your people when they needed you most! You have called Asgore a coward; is the irony truly lost on you?"

Oh my God...

Frisk was stunned and horrified by Chara's sudden outburst. He couldn't believe how angry she was. He knew that Chara was upset by the way Toriel had been treating Asgore, but he hadn't realized just how deep that resentment ran. While Frisk wished that Toriel had been more gentle with Asgore, he certainly didn't fault her for her actions. Still, maybe Chara did have a point. Was running away truly the best thing Toriel could have done?

Toriel was just as stunned as Frisk was. "Chara, I... of course I did not exile myself lightly. I tried to persuade both your father and our subjects, but they would not listen to me. It seemed that all reason was lost on them. There was nothing I could have done, you understand? No matter what I said, no matter how I tried to change their minds, no one would listen to me."

Chara folded her arms. "So you gave up."

Toriel grimaced. "You have no idea what is was like, watching them choose murder as an answer to their problems." She scowled at her. "You were thrilled when you found out, were you not?"

Chara whimpered as if she had been stabbed in the chest. "I... I was shocked when I learned of it. I could not believe that Father resort to such extreme actions."

"But you did not disapprove, do you?"

Chara broke eye contact. "Not at the time, no."

"What about now?" Toriel asked. "Do you still believe that your father had done the right thing?"

"... no," Chara said, "but he had to do something. You cannot fault him for trying to save his people."

"Tell that to the six innocent humans he killed," Toriel said.

Chara stared sadly at her. Frisk could see the pain and sorrow in her ruby eyes, but he also saw a feeling of hope sparkling inside. "Please, Mother," Chara whispered. "I understand that your relationship with my father has been broken beyond repair, but I beg of you to try and find it in your heart to forgive him. At the very least, he does not deserve to be treated so coldly. I'm sure you can see how deeply he regrets his actions. He never wanted power; he just wanted his people to have hope. He deserves mercy."

Everyone stood quietly as Toriel stared at her child with a miserable expression. "He... he does," Toriel said. "However, there is a difference between showing mercy and showing forgiveness. I do not wish ill of him, but I fear that I will never be able to look at him the same way."

Something wet collected near Chara's eyes. "I... I understand."

"However," Toriel said, "perhaps I have been acting childish. I do appreciate how much your father regrets what he has done. Things will never be the same between us, but perhaps I should treat him more warmly. Even after everything that has happened, he is still your father."

The darkness lifted from Chara's eyes. "Mother..."

Toriel smiled, and she pat Chara on the head. "I understand how much this hurts," she soothed. "Do not think for a second that this is your fault."

She sniffled. "But, is is my fault, Mother. If it weren't for me, you and Father would have stayed together forever, and you never would have lost Asriel."

"Asgore's choices were his own," Toriel said. "We can only blame ourselves for our own actions." She smirked. "After all, you are not our scape-goat."

Chara snickered. "I love you, Mother."

Toriel hugged her. "I love you too, my child."

Aww, more sappiness. Frisk was so happy that they had worked things out, even if it did feel like a repeat of yesterday.

Toriel let go of Chara and returned her attention to Asgore. "Perhaps I have been overly harsh," she said. "Forgivness is still a strong word, but I do wish to be on good terms with you." She reached out her hand. "For our children."

Asgore gave her a bittersweet smile, and he shook her hand. "That is all I can ask for, Toriel."

Frisk smiled. He still wished that they would just kiss and make up already, but this was pretty good, too.

Out of nowhere, Tsunderplane flew back in and bumped into Asgore. "Don't get the wrong idea, mister! It's not like she secretly misses you and wants to get back together!"

Asgore blinked. "I'm sorry?"

Toriel squinted angrily. "No."

"Ugh! I said it's not like that!" Tsunderplane flew away and once again bumped into Frisk. "Hey! Are you bumping into me on purpose, you creep!?"

Frisk smirked. "Maybe I am."

Tsunderplane's entire front turned red. "Y-you!"

Suddenly, Chara gave Tsunderplane a flirtatious smile. "Greetings, Tsunderplane! I must say, I am quite jealous of all the attention you are giving Frisk. Have you ever stopped to consider other options?"

For quite some time, Tsunderplane silently stared at Chara, emanating a feeling of bewilderment.

"EEEEH?!" Tsunderplane screamed. "No way! Why would I like you, idiot!"

Chara grinned. "Notice me, senpai!"

Frisk burst out laughing as Tsunderplane was too stunned to say anything. Chara slowly approached Tsunderplane and gave its wing a gentle pat.

Tsunderplane screeched. "H-human...?"

"Name's Chara, by the way," she said in a seductive tone.

"Ch-Chara, I…"

Chara gently caressed Tsunderplane's wing. "Fun fact about metal, it may be cold at first, but it eventually warms up."

Frisk grinned. He absolutely loved this! Oh, Chara! I've trained you well!

Tsunderplane was flustered beyond words. "Chara, I… I gotta go!'

"Wait! Just one more thing!" Chara whispered something to Tsunderplane. Frisk couldn't hear what she said, but whatever it was must have been good. Tsunderplane looked mortified. Tsunderplane frantically took off, and Frisk coughed in the deep could of smoke that they left behind.

Chara looked at Frisk and giggled. "I can't believe I just did that!"

Frisk smiled at her. "That's what happens when you live in my head for a year!"

"Ah, that sounds bad, Frisk!"

He laughed. "I guess it does, but what was that last thing you said?"

Chara smiled coyly. "That's our little secret."

"Cute."

Frisk had to admit, he felt a little jealous of how flinty she had been. He knew that Chara was just having fun, but she had done so well! Chara could be very loving when she wanted to be. Frisk's interest in Chara deepened even further.

"Yo!" Another one of Frisk's friends ran in to greet them, Monster Kid.

Frisk smiled at her. "Hey, MK. Here to meet Chara and Asriel?"

She looked at Asriel. "Dude, you look nothing like Asriel, but you still look… familiar." She squinted suspiciously at him.

Asriel quivered anxiously. "Uh, howdy. I'm Flowey, or Asriel, whichever you prefer."

Chara bowed courteously. "And I, Chara."

"Uh, hi," she replied. "I'm Monster Kid, or MK for short."

"Charmed," Chara said. "I would offer to shake your hand, but..."

The armless monster laughed. "Yeah, it's alright."

"I was there when you defended Frisk from Undyne," Chara said. "An impressive display of valor. You have my respect."

Monster Kid blushed. "Aw, it was nothing, dude. Uh, maybe I shouldn't call a princess 'dude,' haha."

"It is no trouble," Chara said. "As long as your intentions are amicable, you may address me however you like. There is no need to speak as if we are in court."

She laughed. "You say that, but you're still talking all fancy yourself."

Chara smiled. "Sorry, it is a habit of mine."

"Alright, thanks, dude!" Monster Kid said. She turned back towards Asriel. "Wait, I think I remember, now. Weren't you there when the Barrier was destroyed?"

"Who wasn't?" Asriel asked.

"Oh, I guess that's true, haha!" She grinned. "Man, I can't wait to tell my sister that I met the freaking Prince and Princess! She'll flip out! Oh, and Mr. Boaris! I can't wait to see the look on his face!"

Frisk did a double take. "Wait, Boaris?"

"Yeah!" Monster Kid said. "He used to be my teacher. He talked about Chara a lot. He told us that she probably would have crushed humanity if she hadn't died."

What? Had Frisk heard that correctly? Had Boaris predicted what Chara had done? Did he know? Frisk was highly concerned. If Boaris even suspected the truth behind Chara's death, that could have... consequences.

Chara averted her eyes. "Did he, now?"

"Boaris was your teacher?" Frisk asked.

Monster Kid nodded. "Yep, an extra boring one! Everyone used to call him Boring Boaris!"

Frisk chuckled. "Sans would be proud."

Chara laughed as well. "I'll remember that."

"He really was," Monster Kid said. "Teachers are pretty much always boring, but Boaris was something else. He always felt so... flat and dull and lame. The only time he ever got interesting was when he told stories about the Human-Monster War. He would tell us about all the times he had almost taken a human soul, and he would get so worked up about how vicious the humans were. I think he was trying to scare us, but it was kind of funny."

Frisk grew tense. "Well, his family was killed by humans."

Monster Kid frowned. "Oh, I guess that's true… Man, I feel like a turd now. He's usually nice, though!"

Frisk's concerns only grew deeper. At this point, it was piratically certain that Boaris was plotting something. It didn't seem possible that a monster who had lost so much in the war would be so eager to serve them all of a sudden. Frisk had always tried to see the best in everyone, but he feared that the Government had made a terrible mistake in making Boaris a Guardian.

"... Monster Kid," Chara said, "I am not the person I was one hundred years ago. Although I am still not entirely comfortable around most humans, I am striving to be more like Frisk, now."

More like me, huh?

"Yo, I get that!" Monster Kid replied. "Undyne always said humans were all bad guys, and I believed her until I met Frisk! He really is an inspiration, isn't he?"

Chara smiled. "Yes, he is my hero."

Frisk honesty wasn't sure how to feel about that. Perhaps a more arrogant version of him would have loved to hear Chara say that he was her hero, but Frisk knew that he couldn't just be Chara's savoir. Her problems with humanity were something that she needed to work out on her own. Frisk could show her the way, but Chara had to walk the path herself. If she wanted to become a better person, it had to be for her own sake, not Frisk's.

"You have some crazy powers, Frisk," Monster Kid said. "First you turn out to be a time manipulator, and now you're bringing princes and princesses back from the dead. It's insane!"

Frisk really hoped that she wouldn't pry about that. "Y-yeah," he said. "It's crazy. I don't really know how it happened; it just did."

"Well, it was nice meeting you two," Monster Kid said.

"It has been a pleasure," Chara said.

"Yeah, sure," Asriel said.

Monster Kid turned away. "See you later, dudes!" She left, disappearing into the crowd.

Frisk noticed that Asriel had been very quiet. He looked at him and pat him on the head. "Are you okay?"

"Of course," Asriel said. "It's just... I don't care about them, okay? They're all worthless trash."

Frisk frowned. It was going to be difficult dealing with Flowey, but he knew that Asriel was still in there. He would just have to endure it until they found him a new monster soul.

Chara shot him a scathing look. "If you plan on having 'fun' with some innocent monster, I'll make you regret it."

Asriel shuddered. "O-of course not, Chara. Now that you're here, simply living on the surface doesn't seem so bad."

"Good. Even if you are nothing more than a shell of my brother, I would hate to kill you."

Asriel gave her a mischievous smile. "No innocent monsters, huh? What about humans?"

"My mistake," Chara said flatly. "No one innocent, regardless of their race."

Frisk sighed. "I like you, Chara, but you do scare me sometimes."

She frowned. "I... I'm sorry. Old habits die hard."

Frisk gave her a reassuring smile. "Ah, forget it. Come on, we've still got plenty of other people wanting to meet you."

Chara nodded. "Let us proceed."

Frisk introduced Asriel and Chara to several other monsters. Like Monster Kid, many of them felt strangely suspicious of Asriel. It was possible that they had retained some residual memories from all of Flowey's resets, but nothing more. Everyone also seemed to like Chara, who was progressively getting more comfortable around everyone. Slowly, she even began to look happy.

Frisk smiled at her. "See, Chara? Everyone likes you!"

Chara's smile faded into a dark frown. "Like I said, things would be very different if they knew the truth."

Ah, why did I have to push it?

"Well," Frisk said, "I know the truth, and I still like you."

Chara sighed. "That is because you are insanely forgiving."

Maybe," Frisk admitted, "but that's not just it. I like you, Chara."

"I am well-aware," Chara said.

He gasped. "You are?"

Chara smiled. "You are an amazing friend, Frisk."

... yeah, 'friend.'

Frisk's gut twisted. "Chara, I... I like you a lot."

"I know that," she said warmly.

"A lot, Chara."

"No need to tell me twice."

Someone nudged Frisk's shoulder. It was Royal Guard 01. "Hey, Frisk," he whispered. "You should, like, be honest with your feelings."

… damn you.

01 was right. What was Frisk so afraid of? Since when was he afraid to flirt? It had to be worth a try! Before then, he had hidden his feelings because Chara was soulless, but Chara was no longer soulless. He had to let Chara know how he felt. The worst thing that could happen was that Chara wouldn't feel the same way, in which case Frisk could laugh it off as just more of his usual, totally not serious flirting. It wasn't like his heart would shatter into a million pieces! It would be fine!

... maybe not just yet.

As Frisk continued to introduce them to more monsters, they came across a Temmie. She waved at them. "hOI! i'm tEMMIE!"

Chara smiled brightly. "Aww, Temmie is so cute!" She picked up Temmie and tried to hand her to Frisk.

Crap! What is she doing?

Frisk recoiled. "Chara, you know I'm allergic!"

"But Temmie loves to pet cute humans!" Chara happily exclaimed.

Oh my God, this is my chance.

Frisk put on his best flirty smile. "You think I'm cute?" he whispered seductively.

Chara blushed deeply. "U-umm…"

"awwAwa cute! (pets u)." Temmie reached for Frisk. For his safety, Chara held Temmie back.

Frisk kept smiling. "Well, I think you're cute, Chara!"

Chara laughed nervously. "F-Frisk, I... I think you're cute too."

"OMG! humans TOO CUTE (dies)," Temmie said as if reading Frisk's thoughts. He couldn't believe what he had heard. Did Chara just... did she just call him cute? His heart felt like it was going to pound out of his chest. He was so happy that...

Chara laughed it off. "You're such a flirt, Frisk."

Frisk laughed with her. "Yeah, I know."

Yeah, as Frisk had feared, Chara wasn't taking his flirting seriously. He supposed it served him right. After so much teasing, how could anyone tell if he was flirting for real? He was like the boy who cried wolf. Would she even take him seriously if he asked her out on a date? Well, he'd figure it out eventually.

As time passed, people started to leave. Chara and Asriel had met just about everyone, so Frisk figured it was about time for them to leave too.

"Wait," Chara said. "Let's check in with Alphys first."

Ah, of course. Frisk nodded, and they walked over to Alphys and Undyne. They were dancing in the middle of the lab, their hands locked tight, spinning around on the floor, both smiling happily.

Chara cleared her throat. "Ahem, sorry to interrupt."

Alphys immediately stopped and pulled away from Undyne, who grinned while Alphys's cheeks were colored red. "Ah, Ch-Chara," she stammered. "What do you need?"

"It's about my brother," Chara said. "You promised to aid him, did you not?"

"I did," Alphys said, "but I'm afraid there's nothing I can do without a monster soul."

"I understand that," Chara said. "Is that all we need?"

"Y-yeah," Alphys said. "Well, we'll also need a bunch of extracted DT. I wouldn't have been able to get nearly enough back Underground, but here on the surface, that's a different story. Bring me a monster soul, and it shouldn't be too hard to infuse it with Asriel's essence."

Oh, right. That must have been why Asriel hadn't done this himself. Back in the Underground, there wasn't enough DT to maintain his true form, so even if he stole someone's monster soul, it wouldn't have been enough. The surface, however, had billions of human souls floating around. DT was typically donated along with blood, so it was relatively easy to come by.

Chara nodded. "Then, I suppose we must find one soon."

Alphys stared closely at her. "Mind if I ask a question? How did you get your body back? Did you find a soul?"

Frisk saw no harm in telling her. "We did," he said. "I stole it from the terrorists."

"You took a dead terrorist's soul?" Undyne asked. "That's awesome!"

"Uh, not exactly," Frisk said. "I... don't think so? I don't really know. I found it in a glass capsule they had left lying around."

"Wait, you just took it?" Alphys asked.

"Y-yes," Frisk said.

Alphys's claws trembled. "Wh-what? You should have brought it to me first. Don't you think that someone might still be in there?"

Someone could... still be in there?

Frisk's heart sank into the abyss. What had he done? He felt awful for being so careless. How could he be so inconsiderate? If Alphys was right, then that was a serious problem. Was the soul's original owner still around? Frisk stared urgently at Chara. "Is she right?"

"Well, I haven't heard anyone," Chara said. "When Frisk landed on the flowers, it didn't take long for me to wake up. I don't imagine why this scenario would be any different."

"Th-then, you're probably fine," Alphys said. "I think? Maybe? I don't know!"

This was a troubling development. If the soul's original owner woke up, Chara probably couldn't keep it. She'd have to give it back to its rightful owner. Frisk was suddenly terrified that Chara didn't have much time to live. He hoped that wasn't the case, but he also felt awful hoping that whoever the soul belonged to was truly dead. He was so selfish, wasn't he?

As Chara and Frisk both frowned dejectedly, Alphys tried to cheer them up with a quivering voice. "H-hey! It's not all bad! I'm sure there's no harm in keeping the soul for now. If you do wake them up, maybe you'll make a new friend, right?"

"Screw that," Asriel said. "I just want Chara and Frisk, who cares about anyone else?"

"Hey, enough of this nerd stuff," Undyne said. "Can we talk about the kidnapping? Is that okay? Frisk, I can't believe anyone would do that to you! If I were there, I would have beaten the crap out of them!"

Frisk smiled. "Yeah, I'm sure you would have."

Chara laughed. "Indeed, puny humans are no match for you."

Undyne smiled wide. "I think we're gonna get along just fine, Chara!"

She giggled. "I am glad to hear that."

Frisk was happy, too. It was nerve wracking to have everyone meet Chara, and Frisk knew it was even worse for her, but this day had gone pretty well. She hadn't left a bad impression on anyone, and neither did Asriel, for the most part. Everyone knew he was soulless, so they were respectful. He was still worried about Sans, but otherwise, everything was great.

Toriel approached them. "Did you enjoy yourselves?"

"Yes, Mother," Chara said. "However, I believe it is almost time to return home."

"Of course," Toriel said. "If you are ready, let us be off."

Frisk waved goodbye. "Bye, Undyne. Thanks again, Alphys."

"N-no need," Alphys said. "I haven't done anything, really."

"You will," Frisk said.

She smiled. "Well, alright. See you."

Undyne grinned and waved. "Later, punks!"

Chara and Asriel bid farewell, and they walked with Toriel outside the lab. In high spirits, Frisk followed them home.

As the sun set, Frisk stood alone in the front yard, catching a breath of fresh air. As he stretched out his arms, he heard footsteps rapidly approaching him. His heart pounded. No! Not again!

Frisk turned around, and he came face-to-face with Agent Miller, with cheeks flushed an angry red. Frisk took a deep breath. "Oh, it's just you."

"You idiot!" Miller shouted.

"I get that a lot," Frisk said.

"Where did you get it?" he demanded.

Frisk blinked. "I'm sorry?"

"Don't play dumb!" Miller yelled. "Where did you get the soul? If Chara was soulless, then you must have found a replacement. Where did you get it? Did you steal it?"

Frisk gulped. "Even if I did, then what are you going to do about it?"

Miller grabbed the collar of Frisk's shirt. "I always knew something was off about you! Whenever you thought you were alone, we knew you were acting strange. You often looked like you were talking to someone. Sometimes, you would even burst out laughing, as if someone had told you the best joke you had ever heard, except no one was there. We know she's been with you for a long time. Do you expect me to believe that bringing her back so soon after being kidnapped is a coincidence?"

"Y-you haven't answered my question," Frisk said.

"The law says we take back what is ours."

Frisk turned pale. "N-no, please!"

Miller sighed and let go of Frisk. "However, our law doesn't account for someone being brought back from the dead, so... I'm not going to do anything about it."

Frisk stared blankly, making sure he had processed Miller's words correctly. Once he had, Frisk was filled with relief. He smiled; he was so happy that he hugged Miller. Even mindless military drones deserved a hug every now and then. "Oh my God, thank you!"

"She means a lot to you, doesn't she?" Miller asked.

"Yes. I won't let anyone hurt her… not even you guys."

For the first time, Frisk saw Miller give him a respectful smile.

"Aww, you do have a soul!" Frisk teased.

Miller's smile did not last long. "Frisk, do you realize what you've done? You've done something that shouldn't be possible. Soon, people are going to wonder if you can do it again… you get what I'm saying? Lots of people have lost loved ones. Eventually, they're going to wonder why Chara is the only one you've brought back."

Frisk became tense. "I don't really know how I did it. She just kind of… popped in my head."

"All I'm saying is, you're making my job real tough."

"Sorry, I guess," Frisk said. "There is something bothering me, though. Where exactly did that soul come from?"

"Who knows?" Miller asked. "Could be a terrorist, could be some nobody they picked off the street."

"They murdered someone," Frisk said. "Isn't the police supposed to investigate that kind of thing?"

"If you're so curious, ask it yourself," Miller said.

Frisk felt a chill run down his spine. "I'll... keep that in mind, in case it wakes up."

"Watch yourself, Frisk." Miller turned to leave.

"Hey, one more thing," Frisk said.

Miller stopped. "Yeah?"

"I heard humans have been inside the underground. Do you know anything about that?"

"How should I know?"

Frisk sighed in disappointment. "Really? That's how it's going to be?" He smiled. "But you were doing so well! You were almost human!"

"It's some kind of scouting mission," Miller said. "That's all I know, really. They don't tell me everything."

"Scouting? For what?"

"Hell if I know," Miller walked away, leaving Frisk behind with a sense of dread.

Chapter Text

Chara had another dream, more vivid this time.

These dreams were strange, because Chara wasn't actually part of them. She was inside someone else's mind, kind of like how she had once been inside Frisk's mind. The same boy from the last dream walked up to the girl that Chara was inside. The boy was a small child who looked somewhere around ten years old. Although Chara could not see her face, she guessed that the girl was about two or three years older than her brother. Again, they had met in an open field, filled with golden flowers, and it was a beautiful sunny day.

"Felicia," the brother said, "are you really the World Master now?"

Felicia nodded.

"That's… great," the brother said. "But… you know what Mom and Dad want you to do."

Felicia clenched her fists. "I don't care."

"But Mom and Dad -"

"Mom and Dad are wrong!"

"S-sister…"

"… sorry," Felicia apologized. "But I've made my decision. I'm going to do everything I can to set the monsters free. They've been trapped for way too long. They deserve to see the sun again. It's time for the Barrier to go."

The brother gave Felicia a conflicted frown. "I want to believe you, but Mom and Dad said they're dangerous. After all, they killed that one child."

"Then why didn't he fight back?" Felicia asked. "Everyone just assumed the monster had killed the child, but if that's true, then why did he do nothing while all those people attacked him? I think the monster was just trying to return the dead child. It must have been a gesture of peace! And how did we respond? With violence!"

"But what about the other six kids who climbed the mountain and never returned?" the brother asked.

"That's obvious," Felicia said. "Once you go through the Barrier, you can't get out! It doesn't mean the monsters killed them!"

"Then why did the Government block off the mountain?"

"That's not to keep us safe. It's to keep the monsters trapped."

"But, Mom and Dad -"

Felicia held her brother's shoulder. "Jacob, I know you love them, but you don't have to believe everything they say."

Jacob grimaced. "I don't want to choose between you and them."

Felicia whimpered, and she hugged her brother. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to put you in the middle. I don't want you to accept what they say without question, but you can believe whatever you want. Whether you agree with me or our parents, I'll still love you."

Jacob hugged her back. "Thank you."

"So, what do you believe?" Felicia asked. "You can be honest! I won't get mad!"

"… I don't know," Jacob answered. "I've never met them."

Felicia smiled. "Well, that's alright. I love you, Brother."

Jacob smiled back. "I love you too, Sister."

Chara woke up.

Why was she having these dreams? Was it from her soul? Was Felicia the person who that soul had belonged to? She thought back to when she was inside Frisk's head. It hadn't been possible to communicate with him by accident; it had taken deliberate intent. Chara took a deep breath, and she tried to communicate that same way again.

… hey, is anyone there? Felicia...?

No response.

Chara had no doubt that Felicia was the origin of this soul, but she did not seem to be around. Chara's curiosity overwhelmed her. She had to know who Felicia was. Was she still out there somewhere? If she still existed… Chara wouldn't be able to justify keeping the soul for herself. She would have to give it back, maybe Felicia could take over her body. It was her soul; Chara couldn't just take it from her.

If Chara's dreams were real, Felicia was so much like Frisk. Even though she didn't know them, she wanted to help the monsters so badly. Not only that, but she also loved her brother, even if he didn't agree with her. Whoever she was, she definitely deserved to live more than Chara did. She seemed like a much better person than she was.

But, even though she didn't deserve it, Chara hoped that she could have another chance at life, with Frisk and Asriel. She wasn't suicidal.

Chara got out of Frisk's bed and looked around. The couch was empty. Frisk had already awoken and left the room. It was just her and Flowey, the remains of the brother that Chara had destroyed. Until Chara turned him back into Asriel, she would never forgive herself for what she had done to him.

Flowey looked at her and smiled. "Good morning, Chara."

She smiled back. "Good morning, Brother." He wasn't Asriel, but she could still think of him as her brother, the kind of brother she deserved.

"Frisk went with Asgore to the Embassy, and Toriel's out on errands. It's just you and me!"

Chara couldn't help but feel a little disappointed. "Oh, Frisk's gone already? How unfortunate, I would have liked to wish him a good day."

Flowey laughed. "Yeah, I'm sure you miss him already."

She raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean by that?"

"I'm just saying, you seem to care about Frisk a lot."

She blinked in confusion. "I suppose so?"

"And I hope you still have time for your little brother."

Oh, was that what this was about? Was he jealous? Was he worried that she liked Frisk better? As much as she liked Frisk, she could never forget her dear brother. She gave him a reassuring smile. "Brother, I do enjoy Frisk's company. We are best friends, but you're still my best friend, too."

"Good," Flowey said. "I had always been worried about you getting a boyfriend, but Frisk seems nice enough."

Chara's entire face lit up red. "B-b-boyfriend? Brother, I believe you are mistaken about our..."

Flowey grinned. "Don't try to deny it. I could tell how happy you were when he called you cute. You like him, don't you?"

Chara averted her eyes. She couldn't believe they were talking about this. "W-well, he is a wonderful person," she said. "He's the kindest human I've ever met, and his cuteness is irresistible. Why wouldn't I be interested in him?"

"Okay, don't gross me out," Flowey said.

Chara thought about what could happen if she and Frisk became lovers. She would hold him so tight, and she would kiss him with all her passion. She wanted to show him how much she loved him, how grateful she was for everything he had done. Frisk was her hero, but perhaps she could be his hero. She would comfort him when he was sad, protect him from danger. She would sweep him off his feet, holding him by his legs and shoulders, and she would...

Oh, God! What am I doing? Stop it! Stop it!

Chara slapped her flustered cheeks and stared at Flowey. There was something she had to ask him. "Brother, do you think it is possible that... Frisk feels the same way about me?"

Flowey shrugged. "How should I know?"

"You two have spoken, have you not? Did he... say anything about me?"

"Nothing about having a crush on you," Flowey said.

"Are you sure?" Chara asked. "You wouldn't lie to me, would you?"

"Of course not!" Flowey said. "You're my best friend! Best friends don't lie to each other!"

Chara took a deep breath. "I see, but what do you think? It is possible that he is interested in me? I know he called me cute, but he flirts with pretty much everyone."

"Why don't you just ask him?" Flowey said.

Ask him? Perhaps... that wasn't a terrible idea. Cheesy romance stories typically portrayed the characters as being too embarrassed to confess their feelings, but in reality, all she had to do was ask Frisk out on a date. How hard could it be?

But...

Chara frowned. "How can I ask more of him? He has already given me more than I deserve. He deserves better than a murderer like me."

Despite lacking a soul, Flowey frowned too. "Chara, you're not... you deserve to live your life. Don't let the past define you. Like you said, you're not that person anymore."

"I know I said that," she muttered, "but is it truly so simple?"

"Yeah, you can be a better person. I know you can. Humanity doesn't have to be your enemy anymore."

"... we'll see," Chara said.

She turned away and went to Frisk's desktop computer. There was something she needed to find out. She logged in and opened a web browser.

"Ooo, what'cha looking up?" Flowey asked.

She typed in a search query, 'World Master Felicia.' "Brother, I've been having some... weird dreams. Twice now, I've dreamed that I was some girl named Felicia. I think they might be memories, belonging to whoever my soul once belonged to. My last dream revealed something very interesting. Apparently, she was once a World Master."

"G-golly," Flowey breathed. "That does sound interesting!"

It was going to be a painful search. World Masters - who weren't Frisk - were easily Chara's least favorite thing in the entire world. There were many reasons why Chara hated humanity, but the ability to reset and avoid consequences was the worst one of all. She scrolled through the old histories and records of known World Masters. While it was true that there had been some Masters who used their powers for good, many of them, too many, used them for selfish purposes. Even among the apparently good ones, how did anyone know that they didn't just reset after doing something vile, leaving no memory of it? Chara hated how humans acted so differently when they believed no one was watching, when they were free of consequences.

But Chara wasn't concerned with them at the moment. She just had to find the World Master named Felicia. Judging by her dream, she had lived after the seventh human had climbed Mount Ebott, but before Frisk had. That was roughly a fifty year window. It shouldn't have been difficult.

Unfortunately, it wasn't so easy. Apparently, there was no World Master known as Felicia, meaning her powers had never been publicly identified. Indeed, the World Master's identity was often unknown. For quite some time, it had been a mystery until it was revealed to be the once future President Jacob Malcom. He was the exact opposite of the girl who Chara was looking for, so it appeared that she had reached a dead end. All Chara knew was that Felicia must have been an unknown World Master before Jacob Malcom.

... wait, Jacob?

That... that was the name of Felicia's brother. Coincidence?

Chara looked up Jacob Malcom and his family. It turned out, Jacob had a sister who supposedly died of an illness at the age of thirteen, and... her name was Felicia.

A fatal illness, huh? That sounded awfully familiar. Felicia and Jacob had made it clear that their parents strongly disapproved of Felicia's desire to free monsters. Chara looked up their parents. Their mother, Elizabeth Malcom, was the former President, and their father, Booker Malcom, was a senator. Like Jacob, they had both been dedicated to preserving the Barrier. Horrified, Chara started to piece together what must have happened.

Chara clenched her fists. Did they…?

Did they murder her?!

"Ch-Chara, what's wrong?" Flowey asked.

"They killed her!" Chara screamed. "They killed their own child!"

"Chara, calm down!"

Chara started laughing. It was funny. "Haha… Felicia and I have a lot in common!"

"You don't know that. Maybe -"

"Ahahaha! Of course they did! They were human, after all!"

"Chara…"

Gradually, Chara's laughter dissolved into light sobbing. She covered her eyes. "I shouldn't have looked. I shouldn't have looked."

These implications made everything even worse, and it raised so many questions. How did the terrorists get their hands on Felicia's soul? Did Malcom… give it to them? Did he really hate monsters enough to arm terrorists with his own sister's soul? Did he have a hand in his sister's death?

"Brother," Chara whispered. "My soul once belonged to Felicia, the sister of President Malcom. How could the terrorists have possibly gotten it?"

"I don't know," Flowey answered.

Chara sighed, and she logged off the computer. She had to take her mind off of this. "I… need breakfast."

She got up and headed to the kitchen to make herself breakfast. She was feeling lazy, so she just popped some frozen waffles in the toaster… and then she slathered them in chocolate syrup. Chocolate always made everything just a little bit better.

As she ate, the front door opened. Toriel had returned home. Chara smiled as if nothing was wrong. "Greetings, Mother!"

"Greetings, my child," Toriel replied. "I have something for you!" Toriel handed Chara a cellphone. "Do not worry, Alphys made sure that I found you a suitable model."

Chara giggled and took the phone. "I'm sure it's much more advanced than the one you gave me back in 201X." Chara grinned, and she dialed Frisk's number. Talking with Frisk would definitely clear her mind!

Sadly, the call went to voicemail. Chara left a message as cheerfully as she could manage. She supposed that Frisk was busy at the Embassy. After leaving her message, she sighed and put her new phone away.

Chara looked at Toriel. "Thank you, Mother."

Toriel gave her a knowing smile. "Aww, you miss Frisk. Worry not! He will be back tonight."

Chara smiled slightly. "I know. It's just… I'm not sure what to do today."

"Perhaps you could spend time with a friend?" Toriel suggested.

A friend, huh? Chara didn't really have any. She had made plenty of acquaintances yesterday, but 'friend' was a strong word. Still, perhaps there was someone she wanted to see. Of all people, she thought of Sans.

Although Chara had initially found Sans's laziness extremely distasteful, she had eventually realized that it was all a facade, for the most part. Sans was the kind of person who liked to hide his true potential, make his potential enemies underestimate him, a classic tactic. It was true that Sans liked to cut corners whenever possible, but he was certainly capable of hard work when needed. Chara had surmised that Sans had some kind of scientific background. He had several books on quantum physics, and he had a history with Alphys. She believed that his intelligence could prove useful.

As a bonus, Sans shared Chara's love for puns. She looked at Toriel. "What is Sans's number?"

Toriel beamed. "Ah, excellent choice! I have already taken the liberty of adding him to your contacts, as well as a few others."

Chara scrolled through her contacts list and found Sans. She called him.

"Hey," Sans answered.

"G-greetings, Sans. It's me, Chara. Umm, I was wondering if you'd want to, umm, hang out. M-maybe have lunch?"

Sans chuckled. "Geez kid, you sound like Alphys, but sure. I suppose I can pry myself away from my work."

"OH, YEAH!" Papyrus sarcastically yelled in the background. "You're working real hard, watching me sell all these hot dogs!"

"Yeah," Sans replied. "Think you can handle it on your own, bro?"

Papyrus sighed. "Yeah, I've got it! Have fun with Frisk!"

"It's Chara, actually."

"Have fun with Frisk's clone!"

"We'll meet at Grillby's around 1 o'clock," Sans said. "Is that good?"

"Yes, that sounds excellent. See you there."

"See ya." Sans hung up.

Flowey groaned. "Of all people, why are you going out with Smiley Trashbag?"

Chara didn't see the problem. "Why not?" she asked.

"Don't underestimate that guy," Flowey whispered. "He may act harmless enough, but he's always watching you, judging you. And if he doesn't like what he sees... the bad times begin."

She blinked. "The... bad times?"

"Yes, the bad times. Trust me, you really wouldn't like it."

Chara was intrigued by this development. It seemed that Sans was hiding even more than she realized. She hadn't realized that he was such a powerful fighter, but she was also alarmed by it. "Brother, if Sans learns the truth about me, will he give me one of these 'bad times' you speak of?"

"I don't know," Flowey said. "He dosen't attack people lightly. He only fought me whenever I did something really bad, and I mean really bad. Not even killing Papyrus is enough to make him attack."

Chara was shocked to hear that. "Wait, what? He would just stand there and watch you murder his brother?"

"Well, it always pissed him off," Flowey said. "He always judged me for it, but it took more than that to make him kill me."

She couldn't believe this. "Are you serious? If someone killed you, I'd hunt them down to the ends of the Earth. No, the universe! I wouldn't rest until you were avenged!"

Flowey laughed. "Good to know. Anyway, yeah, it took a lot of kills to make Sans kill me, but when he did, he was really good at it."

"What on Earth are you two whispering about?" Toriel asked.

"Chara's crush!" Flowey lied.

She slapped him. "Brother!"

Toriel smiled. "Oh, well, I will not pry."

In any case, Chara hoped that Sans could help her out. She wanted to know if he had any advice on finding a monster soul for Asriel. It was a long shot, but she needed to pursue every lead she had. Chara looked at her mother. "Sans and I are going to Grillby's."

"That sounds wonderful," Toriel said. "Shall I drive you there?"

Chara considered declining her offer and walking, but she decided to accept her help. "Sounds lovely."

"Of course, my child!"

"I'll just stay here," Flowey said.

"Are you sure?" Chara asked. "I would appreciate your company."

Flowey frowned. "No, I'm… not comfortable around him."

"Come on," Chara said. "Did you not explain that he will only fight under extreme circumstances?"

"I did," Flowey said, "but when he does fight..."

"He's really that tough?" Chara asked.

"You have no idea," Flowey said. "I mean, yeah, I beat him eventually, but it was a living nightmare. If he were to attack us, we'd surely die horribly."

"Then don't antagonize him," Chara said. "Simple as that."

Flowey sighed. "Fine, I guess I'll be alright if you're there."

Chara smiled. "Thank you, Brother."

Although Chara had put on a brave face, she was a bit worried herself. Attempted genocide was no small crime. What would Sans do if he found out? Would he hate her? Would he kill her?

Perhaps I should tell him, Chara thought. I'm curious. What would he say? If he hates me, then I certainly deserve it. It doesn't feel right to keep my past a secret. I am not above consequences, after all.

Well, there was no turning back now. Chara and Flowey followed Toriel, and they headed for Grillby's.

Chapter Text

"Long ago, Asgore and I agreed that escaping would be pointless... Since once we left, humans would just kill us. I felt a little betrayed when he eventually changed his mind."

- Gerson

It was another day at the Embassy, and everyone was buzzing with anticipation. Apparently, President Malcom was going to make another appearance. Frisk shadowed Asgore in his office as he prepared for the press conference. One day, he was going to be a real ambassador. He wanted to learn as much as he could from him.

Asgore filled some paperwork. "Now, Frisk, it's important to be prepared for every meeting such as this. However, I must confess that President Malcom is making that difficult. He has refused to disclose the topic of today's conference, which is very unorthodox."

"Huh, seems suspicious," Frisk surmised.

Asgore nodded. "Indeed. I won't lie, everyone knows Malcom is not fond of us monsters. Unfortunately, learning to deal with people you don't like is perhaps your most important task as an ambassador."

"What do you think this is about?" Frisk asked.

"I really don't know."

Frisk thought about what current events were on everyone's mind. The answer was obvious. "Do you think it could have something to do with Asriel and Chara?"

"That is possible," Asgore said. "Asriel's return may raise questions about my succession."

Frisk frowned. "I don't think he'd be up to it in his current state."

He sighed. 'I know."

Asgore finished with the paperwork. "Alright, it's almost time. Let's be off."

"Right behind you."

They left the office. Out in the halls, monsters and humans were both walking around, busy with their own work. One of the monsters, a Vulkin, saw Frisk and approached him. "Umm, hi, Frisk."

He smiled at them. "Hello."

Tears welled up in Vulkin's eyes. "Hey, my sibling has fallen down recently, and since you helped Chara, I was wondering if you could..."

'Fallen down' was a euphemism monsters used to describe a comatose state they entered when they were about to die.

Frisk frowned. "Oh, I'm so sorry, but I can't help you with that."

Vulkin sniffled. "Oh, I see."

Frisk hugged them. Vulkin's extremely hot body burned, but he bared it for them. "I'm sorry for your loss, but I'm sure your sibling wouldn't want you to be sad."

"I know," they sobbed. "Thank you."

Frisk let go, and the Vulkin went on their way. He had only taken a couple steps before he was accosted by someone else. He was a human man. He stared at Frisk with desperate, pleading eyes. "Frisk, please help me. Name's Shawn. My poor Pyrrha was shot in the heart by some thug, and I know you can..."

"I'm sorry, I can't," Frisk said.

Shawn clenched his fists. "Why the hell not?! If you can save Chara, you can save Pyrrha!"

He shook his head. "No, I can't. It's not that simple.I just can't. I don't know how I revived Chara. She just popped in my head."

"Well, make Pyrrha pop in your head!"

"I can't," Frisk repeated. "I swear I would help you if I could, but I can't."

He glared at Frisk hatefully. "I used to look up to you. I thought you were a good person, but now I see the truth. You will only help the people you care about, and you don't give a shit about anyone else!" He raised his fists. "You selfish brat!"

Royal guards 01 and 02 jumped into action. In perfect unison, they held their swords in between Frisk and Shawn. "Like, totally uncool, bro," 01 said.

"Keep your hands off Frisk," 02 warned.

Security came. Shawn screamed a slew of obscenities at Frisk as he was dragged away by Military Police officers.

Frisk knew there was nothing he could have done, but he still felt sorry for the man. He couldn't blame Shawn for seeing him that way.

"Don't listen to him," Asgore said. "His mind is clouded by grief."

Frisk nodded. "Yeah, you're right."

Vulkin and Shawn wouldn't be the last to ask him about his apparent resurrection powers. Frisk knew it seemed impossible, perhaps even supernatural. It was no wonder people were making a big deal out of it. Maybe that was part of the price he had to pay for saving Chara.

01 fist pumped 02. "Yeah! Great job!"

"... I guess," 02 replied.

"Oh, 02. You were awesome! I always love the way we fight together!"

"Heh, yeah."

01 leaned into Frisk and whispered. "So, like, how are things going with Chara?"

Frisk blushed. "Oh, umm, good."

"Have you told her how you feel yet?"

"Well, not quite."

01 nudged his shoulder. "Come on, Frisk! Just look at me and 02! Thanks to your advice, we're so happy together.! I can never thank you enough."

Frisk laughed. "You're welcome."

"I saw Chara looking at you, and I think she feels the same way!"

"You... you really think so?"

"Positive!"

"What are you two discussing?" Asgore asked.

"Nothing!" Frisk shouted.

Asgore blinked in confusion. "Well, alright. Let's get going."

"Yeah."

They headed for the main auditorium, where Malcom awaited.

Frisk took his seat next to Asgore. The auditorium was filled to capacity, filled with chatter all around. They didn't know what they were talking about, but if Malcom was here, it was important.

Soon enough, Malcom entered the stage and stepped behind his podium. The press surrounded him with cameras, and everyone fell silent. "Good day," he greeted. "I know you're all wondering why I have gathered you here. I'm here to talk about something on all our minds. As you all are no doubt aware, Asriel Dreemurr, the Prince of Monsters once believed to be dead, has suddenly returned, as well their adopted princess, Chara Dreemurr, the first human who passed through the Barrier. Frisk himself has awakened the lost princess from death, and I know what all of you are thinking. Can Frisk do this again?"

The whole room exploded with chatter. Frisk let out a long, deep sigh. That was it, then? They were addressing Frisk's apparent resurrection powers? Frisk hoped it didn't get out of hand.

Malcom restored order with a commanding tone. "Settle down, everyone. I know many of you have people you miss. Believe me. I know what it's like. When I was just a kid, I also lost someone dear to me, but I digress. We need to get to the bottom of how this happened. Why don't we ask the hero himself?" Malcom looked right at him. "Frisk, would you please join us?"

Frisk knew he didn't have a choice. He walked to the stage and stood next to Malcom. "Frisk," he said, "can you shed some light on the status of Chara's soul? It's my understanding that her soul was destroyed when Prince Asriel died."

Frisk nodded. "That's correct."

"And would I be wrong to assume that Chara has a soul now?"

"You would not," Frisk said.

"I'm not exactly a soulologist," Malcom said, "but I'm pretty sure that a soul cannot be created out of nothing but determination." His stare cut deep inside him. "Frisk, where did you get a soul?"

He took a deep breath. He knew he was in deep trouble, but he saw no choice but to tell the truth. He just hoped they wouldn't hurt Chara.

"I found it," Frisk answered. "When I was kidnapped, I found a soul in the terrorist hideout, and I used it to revive Chara."

The people erupted with all sorts of questions.

"You just took it?"

"Doesn't that soul belong to someone?"

"You realize that kidnapping is a serious crime, right?"

"Enough!" Malcom boomed. He turned his cold gaze back on Frisk, sending a shiver down his spine. "Frisk," he said, "are you admitting to the theft of a human soul?"

Frisk gulped. "Well, the soul seemed to be dead before I gave it to Chara."

"That's still an act of looting," Malcom said. "Would you take someone's corpse for yourself if it benefited you?"

Come on, think of something. There has to be a way out of this.

"... if it meant saving someone's life," Frisk said, "then yes, I would."

"Oh?" Malcom asked. "Was Chara's life - or whatever you call it - in danger?"

It pained Frisk to do this, but he had no choice. "It was," Frisk lied. "Without her own soul, Chara's condition was deteriorating every day. I don't think she had much time left, so I couldn't wait. I had to get her that soul as quickly as possible. I'm sorry I couldn't wait for approval, but I couldn't risk it. Please understand."

"Well," Malcom said, "how convenient that you found it when you did."

... it sure was.

More murmurs rang through the crowd, and Frisk looked directly at them. "If anyone knows who this soul belongs to," Frisk said, "I really am sorry. Rest assured that we have considered the possibility that someone might be inside. If they ever wake up, I promise that we'll do everything we can to help them, but until that happens, I humbly ask that you allow Chara to keep the soul."

The crowd kept murmuring among themselves. No doubt some of the more dishonorable press would have loved to vilify Frisk for a juicy headline, but there was also doubt in their voices. All Frisk had wanted was to save his friend. How could they fault him for that?

"You still should have reported it," Malcom said. "However, I understand how you feel." His red eyes burned with contempt. "At least, I would understand, if Chara hadn't attempted genocide."

Frisk froze.

What... the... hell?

His heart thumped heavily in his chest. How the hell did Malcom know about that? The crowd was dead silent, staring at Malcom with wide eyes.

"That's right," Malcom said. "Ms. Dreemurr has committed countless acts of attempted murder, a fact I was made aware of thanks to none other than our Guardian Monster, Boaris the Boar. Boaris, please join us."

What? Boaris had told them? Frisk didn't understand. He thought Boaris had liked Chara. Had he seriously sold her out? What in the actual hell?!

Boaris walked onto the stage and solemnly addressed the crowd. "Everyone, we have some troubling news about this person who Frisk has saved from death. At first, I was quite pleased to see our long lost princess, but secretly, I was also cautious. I always knew how insatiable her bloodlust for humanity was, and now I have hard evidence. The truth is, our so-called Princess Chara is responsible for the death of Prince Asriel, as well as an attempt on countless human lives."

The audience once again clamored with shock and disbelief. How else would they react knowing that Frisk had resurrected someone who had attempted genocide? They didn't know Chara. How could they see her as anything but a murderer?

Frisk glanced at Asgore, whose face had gone deathly pale. God, Frisk couldn't imagine what this was like for him. They should have told him sooner. He hoped Asgore would be able to forgive Chara, but Frisk knew that it was a lot to ask for.

"Mr. Boaris," a reporter said, "I don't understand. Didn't Ms. Dreemurr die of a natural illness while underground?"

Boaris scoffed. "There was nothing natural about it. The Princess's illness was no accident. She had poisoned herself, so Prince Asriel could take her soul. Chara Dreemurr had tried to use her own brother for a massacre."

Frisk wished so badly that this wasn't happening. He wanted to reset, but what good would that do? Malcom would remember everything. Like Flowey, former World Masters always remembered resets. That was the rule. Resetting would only delay the inevitable. Still, how had they figured it out in the first place?

"Of course," Boaris said, :we would not make such a bold claim without proof. While exploring our old home, the humans have found something very disturbing."

They found something in the Underground? What could he… oh, no…

Malcom inserted a VHS tape into the auditorium's media system. Frisk shuddered. He knew exactly what it was.

"Luckily for us," Malcom said, "it just so happens that Prince Asriel had recorded all the evidence on these tapes." With a push of a button, he played the first tape.

Everyone heard Asriel's voice, but Chara was too quiet to be understood.

"What? Oh, yeah, I remember. When we tried to make butterscotch pie for Dad, right? The recipe asked for cups of butter... But we accidentally put in buttercups instead. Yeah! Those flowers got him really sick. I felt so bad. We made Mom really upset. I should have laughed it off, like you did... Um, anyway, where are you going with this? Huh? Turn off the camera...? Okay."

"As you can see," Boaris said. "Chara got the idea to kill herself from this incident. Also, whether it was truly an accident or not, Chara clearly had no remorse for poisoning her adoptive father. She laughed at his pain."

Frisk suppressed a frustrated growl, enraged by Boaris's arrogance. "You weren't there," Frisk said. "Asriel was. He would have known if it was like that."

Malcom and Boaris ignored him and played the rest of the tapes, showing how Chara coaxed Asriel into going along with her plan to absorb her soul and get 'just six' more from the humans.

"Chara deviously manipulated Asriel into following her vile scheme," Boaris said. "She claimed that she only wanted to get six soul to break the barrier, but I knew Chara. For some indiscernible reason, Chara hated humanity."

Frisk's blood boiled. The hypocrisy was unbelievable. Indiscernible? Hadn't Boaris hated humanity himself? How could he condemn Chara so harshly when he wasn't much better than she was? What was wrong with him?

"Asriel, on the other hand," Boaris continued, "never wanted to hurt anyone. When Asriel and Chara arrived at the village, it is clear what happened. Chara tried to make Asriel destroy the entire village, the village that Chara had once lived in, but Asriel stopped her. If Asriel had agreed to kill them, even if Asriel had just killed six, monsters would have had to wage war with all of humanity, and with an entire village of human souls harvested, the humans wouldn't have stood a chance. If Asriel hadn't resisted Chara, humanity would have been destroyed."

The room was filled with panic, anger, and an overwhelming sense of betrayal.

"What the fuck? Why would Frisk bring back a psycho like her?!"

"Are you insane?!"

"Chara killed Asriel!"

"Kill that evil bitch! Before she kills someone!"

Every word was a stab in Frisk's heart. It was painful to see everyone hate and even wish death on the person Frisk loved so much, but at the same time, Frisk couldn't blame them. He knew that Chara's actions were hard to forgive. Still, they hadn't heard the full story.

Frisk steeled himself and spoke to the enraged crowd. "Everyone, I know those tapes sound bad. I know how horrible Chara must seem to you, but there's so much more to her than you realize. Chara wasn't just some psychotic murderer. She loved her family, and she loved monsters."

"If she loved them, she wouldn't have used Asriel like a pawn," Boaris countered. "It was never about saving monsters. Chara simply wanted to kill the people from her village, and all of humanity. Monsters were just tools to her. She was a psychopath! I wouldn't be surprised if she wanted to destroy everything!"

Frisk didn't like fighting, but part of him so badly wanted to slam his fist into Boaris's hypocritical face. He didn't understand. Why was he doing this? It made absolutely no sense!

"You're wrong!" Frisk yelled. "It's true that she hated humanity, but that's not why she did it. She wanted to fight because she was afraid of them. She believed that if the monsters ever escaped the underground, the humans would just kill them. She wouldn't have given up her own life and body over pointless revenge. She did it because she love her family! "

Boaris snorted. "Wow, I cannot believe this. You are just as gullible as Asriel."

"It's the...!"

"Hey! No one's hurting Frisk's BFF on my watch!"

Someone stormed onto the stage. It was Undyne. She ran in front of Malcom and screamed at the crowd. "LISTEN UP! I have some things to -"

"Captain Undyne!" Boaris shouted. "You're not allowed to-"

"SHUT UP!" Undyne yelled. "I have something to say to my fellow monsters! Don't you remember how we felt about Asgore's plan? The one where he was going to kill seven humans and use their SOULs to destroy humanity? We were THRILLED! And it's not like we weren't given a chance! Even after Toriel became disgusted with us and left, we still supported the war! Yes, Chara was screwed up, but most of us were! So… GET OFF YOUR DAMN HIGH HORSES!"

With that, Undyne ran off the stage as suddenly as she had entered.

Frisk's jaw dropped. Undyne... you're a god.

The crowd began to argue. Some agreed with Undyne, while other thought she was as insane as Frisk. Malcom once again had to restore order. "SETTLE DOWN!"

It took a while, but they eventually did. Frisk looked at Malcom and clenched his teeth. "What's the point of all this?" he asked. "No matter how much you hate Chara, you can't touch her. Chara's crimes have been pardoned by the Human-Monster Treaty, remember? According to its terms, the World Government may not charge any citizen of the Kingdom of Monsters with any crime committed before the Barrier's destruction. Chara was a princess of the Kingdom of Monsters. As far as the law is concerned, she's innocent."

Malcom cracked a smile, and he laughed. "Yes, you are absolutely right, Frisk. Thanks to that treaty, Ms. Dreemurr gets to walk away with attempted genocide, just like her father." He spread out his arms. "Isn't Frisk a hero, everybody? A mass murderer walks among us, and we have him to thank for it!"

A horde of angry glares burned into Frisk's eyes.

"Fucking World Masters," someone cursed. "They're always above the law."

"Go to hell, Frisk! For letting this… thing walk among us!"

"You're insane!"

... you bastard.

Frisk had to admit, Malcom had got him good. Frisk's reputation would surely take a nasty hit from these revelations. With less sway over the masses, Malcom was that much closer to sending monsters back underground. Damn him!

Oh, God. What will Chara do when she finds out about this? She has it rough enough as is... please be okay, Chara.

"I suppose that concludes today's session," Malcom announced. "But before we go, I'd like to leave everyone with one last thought. We really owe it to Asriel, for holding back. However, imagine if Asriel hadn't been so merciful. Imagine if he hated humanity just as much as Chara. With Chara's soul, Asriel could have taken six more so easily, and with those souls, he would have had the power to destroy all of humanity. What if this happens again? When the next Chara makes their move, can we trust the next Asriel to hold back? Think about that. That's all."

To put it lightly, this was bad. Really bad. Not only would the masses despise Chara as an insane murderer, their fear of monsterkind would undoubtedly grow. Frisk stressfully clenched his hands. How could they fight back? How could they make up for this?

The session was adjourned, and everyone started to leave. Frisk returned to Asgore, whose face was pale with horror.

"Uh, are you okay?" Frisk asked.

"… my son died because of Chara," Asgore muttered.

Frisk whimpered. "I know, but was an accidentally. At least, that part was. She regrets it more than anything." He frowned shamefully. "I'm so sorry. We were gong to tell you soon, I swear. We've already told Toriel. She took it as well as she could."

"… let's just go home," Asgore said.

Frisk nodded. "Yeah... I understand if you hate her, but she really did love you."

Asgore didn't answer. His expression was blank, like he wasn't really there, just watching everything from outside. He turned and headed for the exit. Frisk followed him.

While they left, Frisk checked his phone. He had received a voice message from a number he didn't recognize. He played it.

It was Chara.

"Greetings, Frisk! It's me! Toriel got me a cellphone, so I just wanted to say hi! I know you're busy at the Embassy. I hope you're doing alright without me! See you back home."

A tear ran down Frisk's cheek.

"Chara…"

Chapter Text

Toriel stopped the car right in front of Grillby's. Chara opened the door and walked outside, with Flowey on her shoulder.

"Have fun, my children," Toriel said "Tell Sans I said hello!"

"We will," Chara replied. "I love you, Mother."

"I love you too. Just call me when you are ready to come back home."

"Of course, Mother. See you then."

As Toriel drove away, Chara and Flowey approached the restaurant. Sans was already there, leaning against the wall. He saw then and waved. "Heya."

Chara gave Sans a shy smile. "Greetings, Sans. I hope it is no trouble, but I brought my brother with me."

"Oh, that's fine," Sans said.

"And Toriel says hello!" Chara added.

"Heh, Tori's a good friend. Well, let's go inside."

"Yes, of course."

Chara and Flowey followed Sans into Grillby's. Everyone greeted Sans warmly as they entered. Of course, Chara and Flowey weren't a familiar sight to them, but they still received ample respect as the royal children. Much to Chara's liking, most of the patrons were monsters, but there were also a few humans around.

Sans sat down at the bar. Chara knew what was waiting for her when she sat down. She carefully examined her seat. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, so she sat down… and she was greeted with an annoying gassy sound.

"Heh, heh," Sans laughed. "Careful."

Chara stared at him with a stupefied expression. "H-how?!"

Flowey hopped onto the bar table. "Don't question it," he said.

Sans shot Flowey a quizzical look. "Hmm? I don't recall pranking you before."

Flowey didn't answer.

"Anyway, whaddya want?" Sans asked them.

"A burger, I guess," Chara answered.

"I'm not hungry," Flowey said.

"Suit yourself." Sans tapped his finger bones on the counter. "Hey, Grillby! We'll take a double order of burgers."

Without saying a word, Grillby left to get their food.

"So," Sans said, "how's being back from the dead going?"

Chara gave him a slight chuckle. "Okay, I guess. Frisk has been very nice to me, and I'm glad I'm getting to spend more time with my brother."

Sans hummed. "You really care about your brother, don't you? I can relate."

Chara smiled slightly. "Yes, I do."

"You're just two peas in a pod, aren't you?"

Chara snickered. "Yes, we're rooted together. Our friendship is as-riel as it gets!"

While Flowey groaned, Sans burst with laughter. "You sure are Toriel's kid."

"Heh, yes." Chara smiled bittersweetly. "I used to love hearing her jokes."

Grillby came back and handed them their burgers, and a bottle of ketchup, passing the plates onto the bar table. Sans offered Chara a bottle of ketchup. "Want some?"

Chara remembered how Sans had dumped the entire bottle when he had given Frisk the same offer. Chara shook her head. "I appreciate the gesture, but I must decline."

"More for me." Sans tipped the ketchup bottle downward and proceeded to chug the entirety of its contents. Chara gave him a bewildered stare. She... had some concerns.

"… what?" Sans asked. "You've never seen a guy drink ketchup before?"

"U-umm…"

Frisk's friends are so weird…

Meanwhile, Flowey stared with a bored look on his face. Sans stared back at him. "You look like you have."

Flowey scoffed and averted his eyes. "So what?"

Chara's muscles tensed up. She knew that Sans was on to him. According to Flowey, it took a great deal to truly antagonize Sans, but if he attacked anyway, Chara wasn't going down without a fight.

"Say, Asriel," Sans said. "Wait, can I call you Asriel, or do you prefer Flowey?"

"I prefer Flowey, if you don't mind," he answered.

"Cool," Sans said. "Anyway, you were friends with my brother, right?"

"What of it?" Flowey asked.

Sans raised a calming hand. "Oh, nothing. Seems like you were good friends, that's all. With you giving him all that flattery, encouragement, advice…" The light in his eye sockets dimmed. "Predictions."

Chara held her arm out, shielding her brother from Sans. She shot the skeleton a threatening glare. "Do you have a problem with my brother?"

"Don't know," Sans said. "Kind of hard to trust a psychopath, you know?"

She clenched her teeth. "If you dare lay a finger on him..."

"But, hey," Sans said, "that's not his fault, right? He has no soul, so what can you do?"

Chara took a relaxing, deep breath. "Indeed, and while we're on the topic, there is something I wanted to ask you. Do you have any ideas how we can fix him?"

"Oh, I see," Sans said. "You just want to talk business, and here I thought you actually wanted to see me."

Chara frowned shamefully. It was true; she had called him because he was the most useful. "My apologies," she said, "but I will stop at nothing to restore Asriel."

Sans laughed it off and gently punched Chara's shoulder. "Hey, I'm just kidding. You want to save your brother; I get it."

She smiled. "Of course, can you help me?"

Sans grabbed another ketchup bottle and took a swig. "Get a monster soul."

"I... know that," Chara said. "Do you have any ideas regarding how that goal may be realized?"

"Kill a boss monster," Sans said.

Chara sighed. What more could she have expected? No matter how smart Sans was, he wasn't going to have some sort of miracle cure to her problems. The simple fact was that she needed to wait for some boss monster to turn evil and take their soul, which was unlikely. The only possibility was Boaris, but even that seemed unlikely to Chara. If Boaris was truly intent on absorbing human souls, then what was he waiting for? It wasn't that difficult. All he needed was a simple firearm, and he could have one with a single pull of a trigger. That went for any monster. Well, any monster with opposable thumbs, at least. The only concern was soul rebellion, but as Asriel had proven, the monster could maintain full control with enough effort. It was only natural that humans feared this power.

"Well, I appreciate your blunt honesty," Chara said.

Sans winked. "Don't mention it. By the way, speaking of psychopaths, you wouldn't happen to be one, would you?"

Chara froze. That had come out of absolutely nowhere. After much hesitation, she forced out an answer. "I... hope not."

"Are you sure?" Sans asked. "I already know that Death Blossom here is a psychopath, but I can't say I've figured you out."

She gulped. "What if I am?"

Sans's gaze seemed to cut straight into her soul. "Hmm, you have the look of someone drenched with sin."

Chara instinctively reached for the knife in her pocket, only to realize that it was gone. Out of shame, she had left it in Frisk's care. Damn it, stupid move. It was a mistake to let her emotions cloud her judgment, her last mistake if she wasn't careful.

"How did you die, again?" Sans asked. "You got sick? Must have been real tragic."

Chara wasn't sure which was more terrifying, telling Sans the truth, or lying to him.

"Don't lie to me," Sans said, as if reading her mind. "I'll know."

Chara glanced her head around, wearing of any bystanders listening in. She glanced at a booth nearby. "Sans, may we move somewhere less exposed?"

He shrugged. "Sure, why not?" He got up, and they moved into the empty booth. Sans sat down first, Chara sat across from him, and Flowey stood on the table, fixing Sans with a menacing stare.

"Are you sure you want to tell him?" Flowey whispered. "I warned you; he's dangerous. Trust me, you don't want to be on his bad side."

Chara thought about it. Did she really have to tell Sans what she had done? It was important to tell the truth, but weren't some secrets better left unspoken?

... no, she couldn't hide from this. She had to tell the truth. For crimes such as hers, she deserved whatever hate Sans gave her. She glanced at Flowey. "I have to," she whispered. "If I want to atone for my sins, the least I can do is tell the truth."

"Your funeral," Flowey said.

Chara stared at Sans, took a deep breath, and prepared to tell her story. She could do this. She had already confessed it to Frisk and Toriel. Why should Sans be any different?

"It is true that I died of an illness," Chara said, "However, I did not contract that illness naturally. Earlier, I had accidentally poisoned my father after baking a pie with Asriel. The recipe called for cups of butter, but I instead put in buttercup flowers."

Sans could not help but laugh a little. "That's a good pun, but I imagine the result wasn't very funny."

She frowned bitterly. "No, it wasn't. My father became deathly ill from the pie. Although I felt terrible for my grievous error, I did not want my brother to worry, so I laughed it off, insisting that he would be fine. Unfortunately, it gave me an idea for an incredibly foolish plan. By consuming the buttercup flowers, I could take my own life. Then, once my body perished, Asriel could take my soul, and together, we could escape the underground and gather six human souls to break the barrier, and grant everyone the freedom they all desired so badly. Monsters would have finally been free, and humanity would have been at their mercy."

Her breaths grew heavy. "But, when Asriel absorbed my soul, I soon realized something: I could control him. Control of Asriel's body was split between us. If Asriel put his foot down, I was powerless, but otherwise, I was free to do whatever I wanted. Forget humanity living at monster's mercy. With control of my brother's body, I could do things my way. When Asriel got to the village, I... I wanted to kill them all, all of them, to ensure that they would never harm a single monster.

"I had no faith that humanity could ever coexist with monsters. Perhaps everything would be fine for a few decades or so, but one day, humanity would remember why they banished monsters, and as much as I hate them, I don't fault them for that. All it takes is seven souls, and a single monster could easily destroy all of humanity. How could they possibly be expected to coexist?

"Of course, Asriel refused. He took my body to the center of the village, just so he could take me to the golden flowers, and then the humans saw him. They attacked him without mercy. They thought he had killed me. Hmph, now they cared about me. I begged Asriel to fight back, at the very least to save himself, but he didn't. Even as the humans mortally wounded him, he just smiled, picked my body back up, and left the village, and h-he..." Her voice cracked. "He d-died because of me. He died because of my stupid plan, my hatred for humanity, and it's a-all my f-fault!"

Sans continued to sit in silence as Chara sobbed, her tears spilling onto the table. She really was pathetic, wasn't she?

"Well, that was something," Sans said. "You really wanted to murder all the humans? That's pretty evil."

Flowey scowled at him. "Well, would you be happy if you were a human, knowing that at any moment, some monster could absorb seven human souls and become god?"

"I guess it's not completely black and white," Sans said. "Still, wanting to murder a few billion people is really bad."

Chara understood that. Even back then, she understood how horrible that was, but in her own sick, twisted mind, she felt like she had no other choice, other than to let monsterkind rot underground forever. Now, however, she realized that there was no excuse for what she had done. She was sick, and she knew that her miserable, sad little girl attitude didn't make her any better. Without a doubt, Sans was revolted by the sight of her.

"I know," Chara whispered. "I know."

Although it had hardly changed, Sans's signature smile was suddenly mortifying. "Do you?" Sans growled. His right eye faded to blank, and his left eye glowed with a swirly of cyan and yellow energy. "Because I'm not so sure."

Time seemed to slow down as Chara felt a jolt run through her body. She really wished she had her knife. She glanced at the door, ready to flee for her life.

"You've committed a bad crime," Sans said, "and bad crimes deserve bad times, capiche?"

Wh-what's gotten into him? I knew he'd be mad, but he's acting like a total sadist.

Sans raised his hand, and some kind of blue energy enveloped Chara's body. It clenched around her neck, making her gag as it began to strangle her. Chara clutched her hands around it, to no avail. She stared at him with wide eyes. "S-Sans, please don't do this."

A circle of energy bullets appeared all around Sans as Flowey glared at him with murderous intent. "LET HER GO!"

The patrons gasped as Flowey screamed. They all stared at Chara, and the bullets surrounding Sans.

"What's going on?"

"A bar fight? Here?"

The blue magic around Chara's neck tightened, making it nearly impossible for her to breathe. "S-Sans..."

Suddenly, Sans released Chara's neck, and she gasped for air. With a hearty laugh, Sans waved off the disturbed onlookers. "It's alright; we're just messing around."

The bystanders weren't so sure, containing to stare with shocked expressions. A bunny monster spoke with a frightened voice. "Uh, if you say so, Sans."

Eventually, they went back to their own business, trying to forget what had happened. Meanwhile, Sans looked at Chara with a bubbly sparkle in his eye sockets, and he laughed again. "Whoa, you look really scared. Seriously, you should have seen the look on your face."

Chara clenched her teeth. "A joke? A little far, was it not?"

"So is trying to murder all of humanity," Sans said.

"That doesn't excuse your actions."

"Oh, lighten up," Sans said. "I wasn't actually going to hurt you. Wanna know what I really think of you?"

Chara shrugged. "Why not?"

"Judgment-wise," Sans said, "you're a pretty bad person. You tried to make your own brother kill many, many people. No matter what the reason, that's messed up. However, you only managed to kill two people. One of them was yourself, and the other wasn't even one of your many targets. Basically, you pretty much suck at being evil."

Chara blinked. "Huh?"

Sans winked. "Honestly, it's super embarrassing. You brought Asriel all the way there, but you couldn't get him to murder even a single person. But maybe… that's what you'd be better at? Not killing anyone? Crazy idea, huh? Let me know how that one goes."

Chara stared at Sans with a bewildered expression on her face. After a while, she started laughing. "Pfft, hahaha! That's your judgement? I suck?"

"Yep," Sans answered. "Though, I do have a couple questions. Of all the ways to kill yourself, why buttercups? That sounds really painful. Why not just stab yourself or something?"

"Oh, yes," Chara said. "I asked myself the same thing, but it just seemed fitting. It felt like poetic justice. The mistake that had almost killed my father would be used to save monsterkind, and at the same time, punish me for my sins."

"I bet Asriel felt really guilty for it," Sans said.

She frowned shamefully. "Yes, he did, and perhaps that was my intention. Seeing me in such pain, it made him less likely to back out, no?"

"So what?" Flowey asked. "You only wanted what you thought was best for me."

"Fascinating," Sans said, "but let's move on to the question that really matters. If given the chance, would you do it again? If it were in your power, would you exterminate every last human on Earth?"

Would she do it again, huh? Her frown darkened even further. "I don't know," she answered honestly. "I would like to say that I've changed, but is it really so simple? Could someone like me ever change? My fear of humanity certainly hasn't gone away. Part of me still screams that they cannot be trusted, that they must be destroyed, but for what it's worth, I am trying to overcome it. I want to trust humanity, but given these extreme circumstances, I find it very difficult."

Sans laughed again, making Chara raise an eyebrow. "What do you find so humorous?"

"I'm sorry," Sans said. "It's just...you're not the only one who felt that way, you know? Destroy humanity? Everyone and their grandma wanted to destroy humanity. Asgore declared war on them, Undyne was even more vehement about it, and I know that Boaris and Gerson did not trust humanity one bit, either. No one did, really. That's why Toriel couldn't defuse the situation, after all. Everyone was convinced that the humans would kill us if we ever escaped. Chara, you may be crazy, but you're not that weird. So what if you hated humanity? Join the club."

Chara chuckled. 'Crazy but not weird, huh? That's... interesting."

"It's okay," Sans said. "We're all monsters here, aren't we?"

She smiled warmly. "Ha, I suppose we are."

"Still," Sans said, "I have one more question. You said you aren't sure if you've changed, but it does sound like you want to change. Why? What brought on this change of heart? You know, aside from getting your brother killed."

Wasn't it obvious? The answer came to Chara's mind without hesitation. "That would be Frisk," she said. "Heh, now that I say it out loud, I suppose it does sound rather silly. One person cannot represent an entire population. Still, there's something about Frisk. He's always so determined to help people and do the right thing, and after watching him for so long, I could not help but cheer him on. I have grown very fond of him. He's a wonderful person, but if my plan had succeeded, he never would have existed. I would have secured the future of monsterkind, but I also would have destroyed something so beautiful. How could I not regret that?"

"Gee," Sans said. "Praise him some more, why don't you? 'Something so beautiful?' Is that love I sense?"

Her cheeks flushed red. "I... we are not..."

He laughed. "Well, you can keep that to yourself, but if you two decide to hook up, you may need to clear things up with Toriel first."

She nervously averted her eyes. "I will keep that in mind."

"Anyway," Sans said, "last question, I swear. How did you come back from the dead?"

"I haven't the faintest idea," Chara said. "When Frisk woke me up, I was so confused. I knew that his determination had somehow awakened me, but… why? Our plan had failed, hadn't it? Why was a failure like me brought back to life? What was the purpose of my reincarnation? I'm… still not sure. I should be dead."

"So, you're a ghost filled with lingering regret?" Sans asked. "Still tied to this world because of unfinished business?"

Chara scoffed. "Those stores are not real. I may have unfinished business, but that's not why I came back. Perhaps there is no romantic reason why it happened. Perhaps the reason is simply because I had the power for it, and Frisk had the power to awaken me. After all, power does not discriminate between good and evil. Power is power, simple as that."

"Must have been a lot of power, then," Sans said.

She nodded. "Indeed, but I can always decide my own purpose." She smiled at Flowey and brushed her fingers between his petals. "I'm going to make things right. I don't know how, but I am going to save him. If I can do that, then I know that my reincarnation will have been worth it. Nothing would make me happier than another chance to live happily with Asriel and Frisk."

Sans hummed thoughtfully. "Well, this has been an... enlightening chat. Thanks for being honest with me, and with yourself."

Chara's eyes clouded. She hadn't expected him to be nearly this merciful. The part where he strangled her seemed far more appropriate. "S-Sans…"

"My brother would be proud of you," Sans said. "He always says that anyone can be a good person if they just try. He's pretty naive to be honest, but I love that about him."

She sniffled. "I don't deserve this. I don't understand. You should all hate me for what I've done."

"Probably," Sans said. "But I'm not gonna do anything about it. That sounds like too much work."

Flowey eyed him suspiciously. "If you pull another stunt like earlier, I swear I'll -"

"Don't worry," Sans said. "I'm cool. I'm sure you know what it's like when I get riled up for real."

Flowey huffed and turned away from him.

"What are you so worried about?" Sans pressed. "I'm not even that strong, you know. I only have 1 ATK, 1 DEF, and 1 HP."

Flowey swore something under his breath.

"I thought you were soulless," Sans said. "How can you, heh, care about Chara so much if you're soulless?"

"I don't," Flowey said. "I just find her very interesting, and if she died, that would be the end of a very interesting person."

"Fair enough," Sans said. "Anyway, are you gonna eat your food? It's getting cold."

Chara laughed. "I suppose I should."

She picked up her burger and finally started eating it. The meat had gotten cold, but it was still good. As she took another bite, the televisions in the restaurant flashed with a breaking news report. Whatever it was, people were shocked when they saw it. Chara looked at a TV to see what it was about.

Chara nearly choked on her burger when she saw the headline, 'Frisk Resurrects Mass Murderer?!'

The newscasters went on to explain how President Malcom had released the tapes Asriel had recorded, the ones where Chara told Asriel about her plan. She turned as pale as snow. The humans exploring the Underground must have found them. Oh, God. What would happen to Frisk now that they knew?

"Huh, how about that," Sans said. "Interesting timing."

"It... it sure is," Chara said.

Flowey wrapped his vines around her arm. "We need to go."

Her body shaking, Chara nodded. "Y-yes."

Sans grabbed Chara's hand, and suddenly, they were out of the restaurant. Chara felt nauseous as she found herself standing in front of Mother's house. What the hell? Sans could teleport? Actually, that explained a lot. Sans did have a habit of appearing out of nowhere. He winked at her. "Well, I can't say that's how I expected things to turn out."

"I'm sorry," Chara said. "That was a terrible lunch, wasn't it?"

Sans shrugged. "Eh, I've probably had worse, but you should watch your back now."

She laughed sadly. "To put it lightly. People are going to be crying for my head on a stick, aren't they?"

"Yep," Sans said. "Sucks to be you." He started to walk away, and he waved goodbye. "See ya."

Well, that was the end of that, apparently. Chara waved back. "Farewell, I suppose."

As Sans walked out of sight, Chara frowned. Just like that, it was all out there. Everyone knew what Chara had done. It served her right. She always hated it when people thought they were above consequences, and Chara herself was no exception. She deserved to be hated for what she had done, but what about Frisk? What would they think of him for giving her another chance? Chara couldn't stand the thought of causing him trouble; she wasn't worth it.

Even worse, this reveal was a threat to the entirety of monsterkind. Knowing just how close humans and monsters had come to another war was going to fill the humans with dread. Humans and monsters had just taken one step towards the next war.

Frisk, I'm so sorry. You never should have -

Chara's phone rang. It was Frisk. Chara immediately grabbed it and answered the call. "Frisk?"

"H-hello, Chara," he said. "Umm… how are you?"

"I'm… fine," Chara lied. "How are you?"

"… I'm fine. I got your message. Asgore's taking me home right now. I'll see you soon."

"Understood. See you home, Frisk."

"Chara, I... stay safe, okay?"

"I will."

Frisk hung up.

Despite herself, a tear ran down Chara's cheek.

"Frisk…"

"Young one, when I look at you... I'm reminded of the human that fell here long ago... You have the same feeling of hope in your eyes."

-Asgore Dreemurr

Chapter Text

After a long, silent, and awkward drive, Asgore dropped Frisk off home. Asgore didn't say anything as Frisk got out of the car. He simply drove away, his eyes filled with pain.

Asgore…

For the time being, Frisk didn't worry about it. All he wanted was to see Chara. He approached the front door, took a deep breath, and rung the bell. Toriel opened the door and received him with a somber tone. "Greetings, Frisk."

"Toriel, did you hear what happened?"

She nodded.

"How's she doing?" Frisk asked.

"I believe she is eager to see you." Toriel replied.

Frisk nodded. "Me too."

"She is in your room," Toriel said.

Frisk thanked her and quietly walked to his room. He opened the door. Chara was sitting in the couch, waiting for him. Chara got up and stared at him, with sorrow and longing in her red eyes.

He walked towards her, and they tightly wrapped their arms around each other. Her body felt like a fire in the middle of a freezing blizzard. Frisk clung to her, desperate for her warmth, and she was the one who should have needed it more.

"I'm so sorry, Frisk," Chara whispered.

"What are you sorry for?"

"I'm already causing you so much trouble."

"Don't say that," Frisk whispered. "You'll never be a burden to me. No matter what happens, I'll never regret saving you."

Chara sniffled. "Wh-why, Frisk? Why do you care about me so much?"

"I… I just want you to be happy. I can't stand seeing you miserable like this."

Chara broke the hug and stepped away from him. "I don't deserve to be happy. I had my chance to live a happy life, but I threw it away as soon as I ate my first buttercup."

He shook his head. "N-no! You deserve a second chance! I'd give anything to make you happy!"

Chara smiled, but it wasn't a happy smile. "Haha... Frisk, you're such a sap. You'd forgive anyone, wouldn't you? You really do believe that anyone can be a good person, no matter how much they hurt you."

"Don't give me so much credit," Frisk said. "I just like you; it's as simple as that."

She frowned miserably. "Not everyone shares the same sentiment, I'm afraid."

Frisk knew how to cheer her up. It was time to do what he did best. Frisk reached out his hand caressed Chara's adorable pink cheek. "I don't understand how anyone can hate someone so cute."

She blushed. "F-Frisk?"

Frisk stared into Chara's bright red eyes. "Chara, have I told you how pretty your eyes are?"

"M-my eyes?"

"They're so beautiful. They fill me with…"

"Determination?" Chara asked.

"Passion."

Despite her efforts not to, Chara started laughing. "Oh my God, Frisk."

"And you're not just attractive on the outside," Frisk went on. "You're also strong, brave, and determined. You would do anything for the ones you love."

She kept laughing. "You are such a flirt! It's possible that you may have a problem!"

Frisk was tempted to keep pushing, to make it clear that he wasn't joking with her, but now was not the time for that. Now was not the time to drop a bombshell like that on her; she already had more than enough on her mind. Frisk bit his tongue and kept his feelings bottled up. He had been hiding them for over a year. A little longer wouldn't kill him.

Chara's laughter died down. "But, Frisk, I don't understand. Are they not going to arrest me?"

Frisk gave her a reassuring smile. "No, Chara. Remember the treaty? You have nothing to worry about."

"Oh, right. So… what exactly happened?"

He nodded. "Yeah, we have a lot to catch up on."

Frisk told Chara everything that happened in the Embassy, about Malcom's reveal, and how Boaris joined in. Chara's eyes widened as he explained that part. "Boaris truly said that about me?"

"I know!" Frisk said. "It makes no sense! I thought he hated humanity, too! What right does he have to condemn you?"

"Well, it is one thing not to trust humanity," Chara said. "Trying to murder them is another."

Frisk frowned. "I guess that's true."

"But enough of that," Chara said. "I also have something important to tell you. Over the past two nights, I've experienced some strange dreams, and they have been very revealing."

Chara told Frisk about her dreams. She told him everything she had found out about Felicia, and how she was related to Jacob Malcom. Frisk couldn't believe what he heard. "What? To be honest, I never really liked Malcom, but I don't think he would do something like that."

"Well, someone murdered Felicia," Chara said. "Chances are, her parents are responsible. They obviously feared her. They were willing to kill their own daughter just to keep the monsters sealed away."

Chara sounded so certain, but Frisk wasn't so convinced. Could Felicia's parents have really murdered their own daughter? Then again, Frisk didn't know them, so what did he know?

Chara sighed. "However, I am still in the dark as to how this murder transpired. I'm not sure how she was killed, and I'm not sure what her brother's role in it was. I only know that it couldn't possibly have been an accident. World Masters don't just keel over like that." She smiled at him. "You're proof enough of that."

"Uh. right," Frisk said. "How could they have countered Felicia's ability to reset?"

"There are a few possibilities," Chara said. "One is that they did the same thing as those terrorists, finding someone with enough determination to survive going over their limit. In fact, it very well could have been Malcom himself. Usually, when someone tries to become the World Master through DT injection, they just melt to death. In order for it to work, they have to already be close to becoming the World Master. As for Malcom, he used to be the World Master before Flowey came along. He would certainly qualify."

Chara's expression turned grave. "Of course, another possibility is that Felicia simply chose not to reset. Even with time manipulation, she was only a child. She may have died so many times before finally giving up."

Frisk felt sick thinking about it. He couldn't stand the thought of being killed so many times that he lost all hope and gave up. He couldn't imagine a worse way to go.

But, was Malcom really involved? Frisk remembered something that Malcom had said. "Come to think of it, I think Malcom mentioned something about losing someone when he was a kid. It seems to me like he genuinely misses her."

"I doubt that," Chara spitefully growled. "If he truly loved her, then why didn't he fulfill her dying wish? Felicia died because she wanted to free the monsters. If Malcom wanted to honor his sister, he would have done everything in his power to break the Barrier. Instead, he did everything he could to keep the Barrier intact. If he claims to love Felicia, then he's full of shit."

"I don't know," Frisk said. "Just because they had a disagreement doesn't mean they didn't care about each other."

"But this was no petty dispute," Chara said. "It was Felicia's greatest desire. I understand that two people will never agree on everything, but some differences are irreconcilable."

Frisk smiled. "Well, I think Jacob cared about his sister, so I hope that's not an irreconcilable difference between us."

She smiled back. "You're crazy, but I think our relationship can survive that one."

He smirked. "Our relationship, huh?"

Once again, Chara's cheeks flushed red. "F-Frisk, please focus."

"That's very hard when you're around," he flirted.

Chara did her best to ignore him. "I think it's painfully obvious what Malcom is trying to do," she said. "Frisk, you said that Malcom warned everyone about 'the next Chara and Asriel,' correct?"

Frisk nodded. "Yeah, and I know that is scary to think about. When Asriel had that power, he could have destroyed the entire world… Thank God they don't know about that little incident."

"Sorry about that," Asriel said, who had been standing on Frisk's nightstand.

Frisk jumped in shock. He hadn't realized Asriel was in the room. "Oh! H-hey, Asriel! I didn't see you there!"

"That's alright, Frisk!" Asriel chirped. "I think you adequately explained why you're so distracted!"

It was Frisk's turn to blush. "U-umm…"

"Don't you see what's happening?" Chara asked. "Malcom's trying to spread fear among humans. He's doing everything he can to remind everyone why monsters were sealed underground."

Of course. Of course, of course, of course.

"Best-case scenario," Chara said, "Malcom is trying to do just that, send monsters back underground. Worst-case scenario, he's trying to ignite another Human-Monster War, and he wants all monsters to be eradicated."

"But what about Boaris?" Frisk asked. "Where does he fit into all this?"

"I don't know," Chara admitted. "You said it yourself, it doesn't make..." Chara trailed off in thought.

Frisk blinked. "What is it, Chara?"

"If it weren't for Boaris," Chara thought, "no one would have recognized me. If it weren't for him, my identity would still be a secret. Frisk, I don't think our encounter with Boaris on the street was an accident. It was set up. He wanted everyone to know I was alive."

"But, why would he do that?" Frisk asked.

"That's... an excellent question," Chara said. "Malcom's behavior makes sense. Whether he is trying to banish or destroy all monsters, you are one of his greatest obstacles. Everyone loves you so much, granting you a great deal of influence. Unfortunately, by resurrecting me, you've given Malcom a golden opportunity. He was able to use my past as a reminder of why humans used to fear monsters, and as a bonus, he was able to shake the public's trust in you, by letting everyone know that you brought back someone who tried to help monsters destroy humanity."

Chara growled in frustration. "However, I still cannot ascertain Boaris's motives. Whatever they may be, he appears to have made some kind of deal with Malcom. As for the nature of this deal, that is shrouded in mystery."

Frisk tried to think what that deal may have been, but he came up blank. He had absolutely no idea why Boaris was helping Malcom, but whatever the case, it wasn't good.

He sighed. "Why can't they just get along? We just need time; someone will find a cure before it's too late."

Suddenly, Chara forcefully grabbed Frisk's shoulders and pinned him against the wall. Her beautiful scarlet eyes were filled with rage. "No, Frisk! Those fucking humans will never trust monsters!" Her spit splattered on Frisk's face as she yelled at him. "All kinds of monsters respect each other, but humans can't even get over differences in their fucking skin color! Humans and monsters will always be just that, humans and monsters! They'll never get over their differences! As long as there are 'humans and monsters,' it's only a matter of time until they KILL EACH OTHER!"

Frisk's eyes widened in fear. He was well-aware that Chara had a dark side, but this was the first time he had seen it in person. He had never seen her this angry before; it was terrifying.

As soon as she saw Frisk's horrified expression, tears formed in Chara's eyes. She sat down on the ground and sobbed. "Th-that's right, Frisk. This is who I am. You think I'm just an innocent girl who likes to joke around and make silly puns, but you're wrong. I'm a vengeful bitch who hates humanity. Do you like it?"

Frisk felt his heart crack at that word. "Chara, don't call yourself that."

"But I am," she said. "Ask anyone who heard the news. Anyone reasonable person would call me that."

Frisk sat down next to her. "I know you're far from innocent, but you're not a bitch. You're just… human."

"... Frisk," Chara whispered. "I know you don't want to hear this, but... you should reset."

"Huh? You think I should try to handle the Embassy better?"

Chara shook her head. "No, you should reset to before you revived me."

A chill ran down Frisk's spine. "Wh-what are you saying?!"

Chara's eyes sparkled with tears. "You shouldn't have tried to save me. You should have just let me stay dead, as I should be. Go back, Frisk. Just turn Felicia's soul over to the Government, and forget about me. Let me disappear, forever. Let me go."

Frisk grimaced painfully. He couldn't believe what he had just heard. He shook his head. "Chara, do you realize what you're asking me to do? You're asking me to kill you. I could never do that."

Asriel clenched his teeth. "Are you… are you kidding me?! After everything Frisk has done, you just want to take the coward's way out?!"

Chara whimpered. "I... I'm sorry, but this isn't for my sake. Frisk has to reset. Everything would be better if I was dead."

"Oh, really?" Asriel asked. "Is it really so selfless? I don't think so. You just can't handle the guilt, can you? You think the only way you can make up for you're sins is dying, so you want to sacrifice yourself for the greater good."

"B-Brother, I..."

"But if you really want to punish yourself, if you think you deserve to suffer, then keep living! Death is an end to suffering, so keep suffering!"

Chara glared back at him. "Yes, I'm sorry I won't be able to suffer for your amusement."

Frisk stared at her in shock. "Chara! That's not what he meant!"

Asriel didn't respond. He just stared blankly at Chara. She laughed bitterly. "You like watching me suffer, don't you? How could you not? There's nothing quite as satisfying as watching a bitch like me get what she deserves!"

"Chara, it's not like that," Frisk said. "Asriel -"

"He's not Asriel!" Chara screamed. "Asriel is dead! And I wasn't the friend Asriel wanted, either! You're the friend Asriel wished he always had! Neither of you need me! S-so…" She sobbed. "So p-please, Frisk... let me go. You can be happy without me."

Frisk hated this. He hated this so much. He hated seeing Chara cry. He knelt down and held Chara's hand. "Is that really what you want?"

She refused to look at him. "I… it doesn't matter what I want. You have to let me go."

He kept holding Chara's hand. "I'm not going to reset. Even if I do, Malcom would remember everything. So… stay with me. We'll stop him together."

"Frisk…"

"You don't want to die, Chara. If you did, you would have faded away a long time ago, so… what do you want?"

Chara finally looked at him, staring with miserable red eyes. "I… I want to atone for what I've done. Even if I can't save Asriel, I can at least take care of him. And… I want to live for you too, Frisk. I owe you everything. I love you both so much."

Frisk breathed a sigh of relief. He didn't know how much longer he could take seeing Chara beat herself up. He really did want her to be happy.

Chara laughed sadly. "I'm such a mess, aren't I? This soul has turned me into a bigger crybaby than my brother ever was."

Frisk smiled at her. "It's okay. I know you feel so guilty about... everything, but I'm here for you."

Chara sighed, and she laid down on the floor. "I'm so tired."

Frisk laid down next to her. "Hey, you wanna lie on the ground and feel like garbage together?"

Chara laughed. "Ah, yes. I've gone full Napstablook, haven't I?"

She turned over to look at Asriel. "Brother, I'm sorry for yelling at you, and I'm sorry for all those times I called you a crybaby. I'm such a hypocrite, aren't I?"

Asriel sighed. "Don't worry about it... Chara, when I said that Frisk is the friend I wished I always had, I didn't mean that I regret being your friend. I just…"

Chara nodded. "I understand, Brother. Everything would have been better if Frisk had fallen underground instead of me."

He shook his head. "No, what I really wish is that you and Frisk were both my friends, and… I wish I was a better friend. Frisk never would have let you kill yourself."

Frisk sighed. "You both idolize me so much, but don't forget how easy I had it. In Chara's time, killing herself and six other humans was the only way to free the monsters. By the time I showed up, all the dirty work had already been done for me. And let's not forget that I had the power to turn back time. If it weren't for that, I would have died long before reaching the end."

"You're still a hero," Chara said. She turned back over to face him, and she gave him an embarrassed smile. "Sorry for losing my temper, Frisk."

Frisk smiled back. "Yeah, you spit on my face."

"Oh! I'm sorry!"

Frisk kept smiling and shook his head. "Don't be. It was kind of hot!"

Yet again, Chara blushed and laughed. "F-Frisk!"

Asriel groaned.

Chara smirked. "You big flirt." She wrapped an arm around Frisk. His heart pounded as Chara's warm body snuggled against him. "Ch-Chara?"

"I don't deserve you, Frisk," Chara whispered, "but if you really think it'll be alright, I'll stay with you."

Frisk smiled warmly. "Thank you. I know you're afraid, but we can't lose hope."

Chara caressed his cheek. "I know. No matter what happens, you always stay determined. I love that about you."

L-love?

Frisk's blush deepened. Chara's kind words and her warm touch were both so sweet. How could she ever expect him to let her die? Frisk never wanted to let go of her. He couldn't let go of her.

Chara got back to her feet, and she reached out her hand. "Come on. My mother is probably worried sick about us."

Snapped out of his trance, Frisk smiled and took her hand. "Y-yeah."

Frisk knew that the day's events had hit her hard, but they couldn't mope about it forever. He knew that Chara would pull through, and he'd do whatever he could to help her. Together, they left to let Toriel know that everything was okay.

Chapter Text

Chara had another dream. Another memory.

The sun was setting, and Felicia was running in the same flower field as before. She was fleeing from something. Chara could hear her panting breaths, and she could even feel Felicia's growing exhaustion. Felicia heard her pursuer's footsteps getting closer. Despite her body's protests, Felicia desperately tried to keep up her speed. Sweat poured down her forehead, and she gasped for breath. After a while, her body couldn't take it anymore, and she slowed down. Whoever was chasing her finally caught up to her. Chara winced as she felt Felicia's pursuer lay a hand on her back.

"Tag!"

What…? Oh…

Felicia turned around and looked at a boy about her age, somewhere around twelve or thirteen. He had shoulder-length blond hair and yellow eyes, and he had a triumphant yet tired expression plastered on his face.

To Chara, something about the boy looked oddly familiar.

"F-finally got you, Felicia!" the boy said through heavy breaths and a wide grin. "You're as determined as they say! But nothing can keep me from you!"

Felicia laughed. "Ah, Nate."

Two more children ran up to them: Jacob (It felt weird to think of him as 'Malcom' here), and a girl with shoulder-length blond hair and purple eyes. The girl had a striking resemblance to the boy, Nate, and she looked about a year or two older than him.

"Finally got her, Brother?" the girl asked, confirming Chara's hunch.

"Yeah," Nate answered. "It wasn't easy, though."

"Well, what do you expect from the one and only World Master?" the girl asked.

Felicia averted her eyes. "H-how did you find out?"

"Your parents told our parents!" Nate answered. "Our parents got really upset when they found out, knowing your stance on the monsters!"

Damn, new suspects, Chara noted. She sighed. Nothing's ever simple, is it?

"Umm, sorry about that," Felicia apologized.

"Don't worry about it!" Nate said "You know I can't get mad at someone with such pretty red eyes!"

… that sounds so much nicer when Frisk says it, Chara thought.

Felicia laughed. "Nathan! Don't you think you're a little young to act like that? At least wait until we're, like, fourteen!"

Nate winked. "Alright, then! When I'm fourteen, will you go out with me?"

Felicia's cheeks grew hot. "Uh... m-maybe?"

Actually, they are rather cute, Chara thought. Too bad it's destined for tragedy.

"Then again," Nate said, "how do we know you're really the World Master? I suppose there's only one way to find out for sure."

Felicia cocked her head. "And what's that? Are you gonna take my DT sample?"

"No, that's no fun," Nate answered. "That would be far too easy. I say, you should show us!"

"And how should I do that?" Felicia asked.

"How about this," Nate began. "I'll think of something for you to do, and then you'll create a SAVE point. Then, I'll tell you what to do, and then you'll RESET and do that thing before I tell you what it is!"

Chara found that proposition very annoying. The timeline was not a toy; resets never should have used for such childish things. Every time the World Master reset, the memories of every lifeforms in the universe were set back to an earlier state; it should only have been done when absolutely necessary. Thank God that Frisk was responsible. Chara didn't want to think about what she might have done if Frisk hadn't had so much control over himself.

Felicia smirked. "Why am I afraid of what you might ask me to do? If you tell me to kiss you or something, I will punch you in the face."

Ugh, is she really doing it? Chara groaned. Humans...

Nate's sister snickered. "Yeah, I'm worried too."

"Alright! I've thought of something!" Nate announced. "Get ready."

Felicia created a SAVE point.

"Ready?" Nate asked.

"Ready!"

"Would you kindly punch Nora in the face?"

Nora gasped. "H-hey!"

Felicia's eyes widened in surprise. "What? Why?"

"For justice!" Nate cried out with a wide smile.

"I'm not doing that!" Felicia said,

"Aww, man! Now I have to come up with something else."

Nora scoffed. "Oh, let me do it!" She walked up to Felicia. "How about you just tell me what I'm thinking?" she said.

Felicia nodded. "Okay, I can do that."

"Alright," Nora said. "I've thought of something. Go ahead and save."

Felicia saved. "What are you thinking?"

Nora smirked. "You're a fucking idiot."

"Hey! Don't swear!" the ten-year-old Jacob shouted.

Felicia's lips parted in shock. "God damn it, Nora." She sighed. "Why should I expect anything less from you?"

Nora gave her a condescending curtsy. "Why, thank you. I'm glad you know me so well."

Felicia snarled. "Oh, I'm going to enjoy this."

FILE LOADED

"You're a fucking idiot," Felicia said.

"Hey, that's a swear!" Jacob shouted.

With a sardonic smile, Nora gasped. "Felicia! How could you say something so mean?"

Felicia shook her head. "Oh, fuck off."

"Wait, was that it?" Nate asked.

"Sure was," Felicia said.

Nate snickered. "Oh, wow."

"Seriously, though," Nora said. "That power of yours is god damn terrifying."

Felicia blinked. "Huh? Why is it terrifying?"

"Why?!" Nora shouted. "Is it not obvious? You have control over time itself! Don't you realize how dangerous that is? That kind of power… nothing about it is right!"

Finally, a human who makes sense! Chara thought. I like Nora! Uh, no offense, Frisk!

"Stop being mean to my sister!" tiny Jacob adorably exclaimed.

"I agree," Nate said. "Felicia's cool; we can trust her."

Nora scoffed. "Trust her? She wants to free an entire race of people who have the power to destroy us all!"

Never mind, Chara thought. Nora sucks!

Felicia clenched her fists. "What we did to them was wrong. We should have freed them a long time ago."

Nora took a menacing step forward, glaring at Felicia with her purple eyes. "That's not your decision to make."

Chara could feel the intense tension emanating from Felicia and Nora. It felt like a punch could be thrown at any moment. These two did not get along, did they?

"Oh! Would you look at the time?!" Nate interrupted. "It's almost time for dinner! Come on! We don't want to be late!"

Felicia relaxed her fists. "R-right."

They moved out of the field of golden flowers, heading for a mansion in the distance.

Chara woke up and checked the time on her phone. It was 10:11 AM. Frisk and Toriel had probably already eaten breakfast. Chara got out of Frisk's bed and looked around. She saw Flowey resting in a flower pot on the nightstand.

Flowey smiled at her. "Morning, Chara!"

"M-morning, Brother," Chara groggily responded.

"A great morning person as always!"

Chara smiled. "Shut up." She wiped the morning gunk out of her eyes.

"Mom has breakfast for you in the kitchen," Flowey said.

"Thanks."

Once Chara was ready, she picked up Flowey and brought him with her to the kitchen. As she walked down the hall, she saw Frisk run through. His face was pale, and his hand was covering his stomach like he was going to puke. Chara gasped. "Frisk! What's wrong?"

"T-Toriel," Frisk wheezed, "sh-she made…"

Toriel ran into the hall. "Frisk! I thought you liked snail pie!"

Chara beamed. "SNAIL PIE!" She sprinted past Frisk and Toriel and ran straight into the kitchen. On the table, Toriel had left a slice of snail pie just for her. Next to it was a half-eaten slice, probably Frisk's, but whatever. Chara bit into her slice and savored its snaily goodness.

"I'll never understand how you and Mom can eat those things," Flowey said.

"Well, it's an acquired taste," Chara replied with a full mouth.

"Since when is the taste of slime an acquired taste?!"

Chara swallowed. "It doesn't taste like slime! It tastes like… snails!"

"Exactly!"

As they argued over the taste profile of snails, Frisk walked back into the kitchen. His body shook like a small child about to see the dentist. He sat down and, after a considerable pause, continued eating his slice. Chara gave him a sympathetic look. "Frisk, I am aware that snail pie is not to your liking. You may reject it if you wish. I' am certain that you will not harm Toriel's feelings."

"N-no, it's fine!" Frisk insisted. He took a bite, and his face twisted with disgust. He looked like he was eating poison, and Chara knew exactly what that was like.

"Frisk," Chara whispered, "I didn't realize you hated it that much. Why didn't you say something?"

Before Chara's resurrection, Toriel occasionally made snail pie for Frisk. Chara could tell that Frisk wasn't a fan of it, but she had never realized that it made him want to puke. She felt awful for not being more considerate of him.

"But you liked it," Frisk said. "Maybe since I knew I was making you happy, I was able to eat it without feeling sick, but now that you're out of my head... not so much."

A mix of happiness and guilt stirred within Chara's heart. She was both touched by Frisk's kindness and ashamed of how much she had let him suffer. "Oh, Frisk. You didn't have to do that for me." She smiled. "As long as I get my chocolate, I'm happy!"

Frisk smiled back. "I didn't mind. It was worth it for you."

Gosh, just how much did Frisk care about her? Ever since her resurrection, Chara had been growing increasingly suspicious about something. Did Frisk… actually have a crush on her?

No, no! How conceited could Chara get? That was just how Frisk was with everyone! Frisk was pretty much the greatest person in the world! He was nice to everyone, not just her! Back underground, he even would've given up his own life to save the monsters if he had to. The only reason he didn't was because of what Asgore planned to do after shattering the Barrier. He had to make sure freeing the monsters wouldn't result in a war. Otherwise, he would have gladly allowed Asgore to take his soul. Frisk just selflessly loved everyone! He truly was the Hero of Monsters!

Even all that flirting was just another one of Frisk's quirks. From a plane to freaking Toriel, the list of people who Frisk had flirted with was very long, and very weird. He went on a date with Papyrus. He hit on Undyne, and he didn't feel the need to correct Alphys when she thought Undyne's love letter was from him. Frisk had an… interesting sense of humor, as Toriel had put it. All of Frisk's flirting with Chara was just Frisk being Frisk!

But… what if it wasn't? What if Frisk was serious? What if he really was interested in her? Chara… liked Frisk a lot. He was everything that Chara should have been. Thanks to him, the monsters had finally gone free. Asgore had always told Chara that she would be the future of humans and monsters, but in the end, it was Frisk who had fulfilled that wish...

Chara frowned bitterly. That was supposed to be me. I was supposed to be their hero. Why did I have to fuck it up?

As she looked at Frisk, her feelings for him suddenly became a lot more complicated. She was still grateful for everything he had done, but she also resented the idea that she had to be saved in the first place. She should have gotten it right the first time. She should have helped secure peace between humans and monsters, like Father had wanted. Frisk shouldn't have had to lift a finger to save the monsters; that had been her job.

Ah, but who was she kidding? Since when was she the peaceful type? Father was wrong about her; there was no way in hell she ever could have been the future of humans and monsters. She never could have been what Father wanted her to be. Frisk was... Frisk was the child that Asgore had wanted. He was the hero that Chara was supposed to be.

And to think that she had the nerve to fall in love with him.

Chara sighed and took another bite out of her snail pie.

As Toriel entered the kitchen, Frisk gave her an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry, Toriel. I never really liked snail pie. I only ate it because Chara liked it. When she was in my head, she could sense whatever I sensed, so…"

Toriel smiled back. "Ah, I understand. You are very kind, Frisk."

Suddenly, Frisk gagged and covered his mouth. "Sorry, may I be excused?"

"Go ahead."

Frisk left the table and headed for his room. Poor Frisk, but at least he had the day off. There was nothing major happening at the Embassy, and school was still out for summer. Chara wondered what he would do with it, and she wondered what she should have done as well.

Well, for starters, she had snail pie to eat!

Toriel sat down with Chara and Flowey at the kitchen table. She looked at Chara fondly. "My child, I still cannot believe you were there with Frisk this entire time."

Chara smiled back. "Sorry about that. I thought it would be best if you didn't know." Her smile turned into a frown. "The same went for Asriel."

Toriel frowned too. "My children… I know that recent events have not been… ideal, but it will be all right. Chara, no matter what anyone says about you, I will still love you. And Asriel, even though you lack your soul, you are still my son."

Chara smiled again. "Ah, Mother. You're going to make me cry again."

Flowey said nothing, just fixed Toriel with a blank stare.

"Asriel," Toriel said, "I know you are also not fond of snail pie. Shall I prepare you something else?"

"Sure," he said. "Just make sure it's monster food."

"Very well," Toriel said, "but what would you like, precisely?"

"That oatmeal we have, I guess."

"Easily done!" Toriel chirped. She went to the refrigerator and took out a bowl of oatmeal, already prepared since it was monster food. She set it down on the table. Flowey grabbed a spoon with his vines and started eating it; the oats dissolved into his mouth as he chewed them. As he ate, Toriel stared at him with a bittersweet expression.

"My child," Toriel said. "I apologize for calling you a 'miserable creature.' Had I been aware of your situation, I would have been more lenient."

"Don't worry about it," Flowey replied. "It's kind of hard to make someone without a soul upset."

Toriel whimpered. "My child…"

Flowey hopped onto Chara's shoulder and whispered to her. "Don't you see why this was a bad idea? I can't be the son she remembers. I tried. I tried so hard, but no matter what she did, she could never make me feel like Asriel again."

Well, this was a very cheerful family breakfast.

"… Frisk wants us here." That was all Chara could say.

Flowey groaned. "Frisk, Frisk, Frisk. Our lord, savior, and God of the World. He doesn't own us, you know."

Although she meant Frisk no offense, Chara couldn't resist a laugh. Flowey's comment eerily echoed her thoughts from a few moments earlier. "That is true," Chara said. "However, I agree with him on this matter. Even if you do not believe it, Mother is happy to have you again, and I believe that in your own way, you are too. Active interaction is far more engaging than passive observation, no?"

He chuckled. "You understand me so well."

Chara finished her pie and put her plate in the sink. Despite her inferiority complex, she was still eager to catch up with Frisk. Perhaps they could do something together while they had time. She looked at Mother. "May I be excused? I wish to check on Frisk."

"Of course," Toriel said. "Go ahead."

Chara walked out of the kitchen and made her way to Frisk's room. His door was closed. Chara could faintly hear his TV running from inside. Chara knocked on the door. "Frisk? May I come -"

Suddenly, Chara felt a forceful sensation, as if something had yanked her from behind with overwhelming strength. Her stomach churned as if she were falling through the air. What was...?

FILE LOADED

"CHARA! WAKE UP!"

Wh-what…?

Chara opened her eyes. She felt extremely groggy, like she had just woken up. She was… lying down, on something soft. What was going on? What had happened? How did she get there? Wasn't she standing outside Frisk's room just a moment ago? Chara tried to focus her blurry vision, and she saw Flowey looking over her, with an exasperated expression on his face.

That quickly woke Chara up. She darted her head around and realized that she was in Frisk's bed, the same spot she had woken up. She checked the time on her phone. It was 7:57 AM.

"B-Brother?" Chara asked. "What's going on?"

"Frisk reset!"

"What? Why?"

"I don't know! He just ran out of the room without saying a word!"

Chara jumped out of the bed. What was Frisk doing?! She ran out of the room and found Toriel in the foyer, her eyes wide in confusion.

"Mother!" Chara shouted. "Where did Frisk go?"

"I… I do not know," Toriel answered. "He just ran right out the door, and I was going to make him some snail pie…"

Frisk, what's wrong?

Chara grabbed her phone and dialed Frisk's number. He didn't answer. Chara grimaced.

What happened?

Chapter Text

"It's so excited that it thinks fighting is just play."

-Check text for Greater Dog

Freedom… outside…

Want… want to play…

Outside… humans here...

Humans… humans… nice.

See… nice human…

Want to play…

No! Playing with human… dangerous!

Yes! Playing with human… fun!

Play… play with human…

Feeling sick from the disgusting snail pie, Frisk stumbled into his room, closed the door, turned on his TV, and collapsed onto the couch. He'd be fine… eventually…

The current program on TV was Ebott News.

Frisk groaned. Lately, Ebott News only wanted to talk about two things: Chara's attempted genocide, and the threat of monsters absorbing human souls, not what Frisk wanted to hear at the moment. He could have changed the channel, but... he was feeling like Sans.

"Today, we have an exclusive look into the recent findings under Mount Ebott," the reported announced. "We are excited to present a special report from our very own President Malcom!"

The camera cut to the inside of the Snowdin Library. Malcom was sitting in a chair, reading a dark green book. How theatrical.

"This book is an interesting read," Malcom stated without taking his eyes off it. "Listen to this." He began to read the book out loud. "'Love, hope, compassion... This is what people say monster SOULs are made of. But the absolute nature of 'SOUL' is unknown. After all, humans have proven their SOULs don't need these things to exist.'"

Malcom closed the book and stared at the camera with a stern expression. "So, according to monsters, they are made of love and compassion, while humans can easily exist without these traits. They claim that they are fundamentally better than humans, as manifested by their very souls. I must be frank here; this is some of the most blatant, inflammatory, misanthropic propaganda I have ever seen!"

Frisk winced. Now that he thought about it, that book actually did come off as pretty racist, he had to admit.

"It seems clear that monsters did not regard humanity as the greatest people," Malcom continued. "To be fair, who can blame them? For millennia, they have resented us for being the reason they were trapped under Mount Ebott. For millennia, they have blamed us for all their problems. Just over a year ago, they were technically at war with humanity. Can we really believe all of that hatred simply vanished just because some kid came through and acted nice?"

Malcom had it all wrong. The monsters just wanted to be free. Asgore only declared war because he thought it was necessary. It wasn't out of any desire for power or revenge. Asgore never wanted those things. He just wanted to give his people hope. It was never because the monsters hated humanity. They just… didn't trust them. They thought if they escaped to the surface… it would be kill or be killed.

Frisk prayed that the monsters were wrong.

"Despite this, monsters seem to have gotten along with us just fine so far," Malcom admitted. "Perhaps most monsters really do mean well, but how long will it last? How long will it be until a monster who isn't so nice absorbs human souls? If such a monster gets seven souls, will the Guardian Monsters even be able to stop them? When it happens, how many humans will die? How many monsters will die? What if we can't -"

Suddenly, the camera cut away from Malcom. The words 'EMERGENCY ALERT' flashed across the screen, accompanied by a shrill alarm. Frisk didn't like the timing.

"Sorry, Mr. President," the newscaster apologized, "but we have just been alerted of a major incident in downtown Surface Home. The Military Police is engaged with a strange and dangerous monster assaulting a young human child. Citizens are warned to stay far from the area. Displaying live feed now. Be advised, the footage is graphic."

The screen cut to a street near the center of Surface Home. Frisk's face turned pale when he saw what was happening. In the center of the street was… well, it was difficult to make out what it was. It was a massive clump of white magical energy, vaguely resembling a bunch of dogs merged together. Frisk knew who they were. It was Endogeny, one of the amalgamates that Alphys had created.

Endogeny, and a young human boy. The child was bleeding, and his body trembled with terror. It was hard to get a read on what Endogeny was thinking, but based on the way their body excitedly convulsed, Frisk imagined that Endogeny was blissfully unaware of the grave situation they had caused. Their large orifice opened wide as their body melted its strange liquid onto the child.

Frisk's stomach churned. N-no… this can't be happening…

Endogeny and the human were surrounded by Military Police officers, all armed with rifles pointed straight at the amalgamate. One of them was a woman with shoulder-length blonde hair and purple eyes, the same one who had repeatedly killed Frisk on his way to Mount Ebott. She held a megaphone and barked orders at Endogeny.

"MONSTER! Cease this assault at once! If you don't comply, we WILL fire!"

Endogeny didn't understand the officer's words. They swiped their claw against the child's chest, slicing open more wounds. The boy screamed. Endogeny didn't realize how dangerous they were.

"FIRE!"

Frisk gasped. "NO!"

The officers unloaded their weapons into Endogeny. A hailstorm of bullets flew into their body. Frisk felt like he was going to faint. "N-no… they didn't mean to… h-huh?"

Endogeny was completely unfazed, showing no sign of pain or damage. How was that possible? Endogeny didn't even acknowledge that the officers were trying to hurt them. Endogeny turned to face the officers and barked happily. They must have thought the officers wanted to play with them. Endogeny bounced up and down, and energy bullets shot out of their orifice. The officers dived for cover, and a one-sided firefight ensued. Endogeny didn't seem to take any damage at all from the bullets, but the officers were far from invincible. One of them got shot in the shoulder. He fell down, dripping blood onto the asphalt road.

This can't be happening!

As the Military Police kept firing, the injured child valiantly got up and tugged on one of Endogeny's several heads. "P-please stop… y-you're hurting them."

Endogeny turned around and pounced onto the boy, their oriface wide open. The boy's orange eyes widened in terror as energy bullets shot out of the hole, and the road ran red with the boy's blood. As his screams faded, the boy's orange soul floated above his dying body.

Everyone stared intently at the exposed soul.

Endogeny whimpered sadly, finally realizing what they had done.

Paralyzed with fear, rational thought failed Frisk. Wh-what should I do?

Suddenly, he heard someone knock on his door. "Frisk? May I come -"

He snapped back to his senses. Frisk knew what he had to do.

Sorry, Chara…

FILE LOADED

Frisk sent the world back in time. He went back to the SAVE point he made that morning. He saw Chara asleep on his bed, and he saw Asriel, staring at him with confused eyes. "H-huh? Frisk, did you…?"

As he looked at them, tears threatened to form in his eyes. There was no need to get them involved, no need to put them in danger. Frisk had been able to reset this time, but what if someone took it away again? What if Malcom was behind all this? What if it was a trap? The risks were too great. Frisk had to solve this problem on his own. As he turned away, Asriel called out to him. "Frisk, what -"

Frisk ran for the door.

"FRISK!"

Just as he grasped the knob, a vine wrapped around his wrist, tightly. He struggled with all his might, but he couldn't move his hand an inch. He turned to face his captor. "L-let me go, Asriel."

With clenched teeth, Asriel did not loosen up one bit. "Not until you explain what's going on!"

That wasn't an option. The less they knew, the better.

Frisk had to break free of Asriel's grip. He used his free hand to reach for something in his pocket. Fortunately, Asriel could grow his vines back, so Frisk wasn't going to do any permanent damage. It was still going to hurt, though. Frisk's hand trembled. "Asriel… I'm so sorry."

He gaped at him. "H-huh?"

Before Asriel could see it coming, Frisk whipped out Chara's knife and sliced off the vine Asriel was holding him with. While Asriel screamed in pain, Frisk ran out the door with an aching heart. Nothing was worse than hurting someone he loved.

Frisk ran as fast as his legs would carry him. He ran through the hall. He ran past Toriel. He ran out the house and down Ruins Street towards the center of Surface Home, garnering many confused stares among the morning crowd.

Once his house was out of sight, Frisk slowed down to catch his breath. As he recovered, his phone rang. It was Chara. After the stunt he had just pulled, she must have been so upset with him.

… what I am doing?

Frisk didn't want Asriel or Chara to get hurt, but he was sure that they felt the same way for him. His gut reaction had been to charge off into danger alone, but now that the initial shock had worn off, he realized how childish he was being. How could he refuse to let them help? He was being like Toriel when she had tried to stop him from leaving the Ruins, afraid and overprotective. Frisk's phone rang again. With a deep breath, Frisk brushed aside his fears and answered. "Chara, I -"

"Frisk! What the hell?!"

He whimpered. "I'm sorry, but I had to reset."

"Did you have to ditch us?! Did you have to hurt my brother?!"

"I… I'm sorry, Chara! I panicked, but I'm not far! I'm just down Ruins Street, towards the center of town."

Chara took a deep breath. "Okay… don't move, alright?"

"I won't. I'll explain everything when you get here."

"Yeah, you better." Chara hung up.

Frisk frowned and sat down on the sidewalk. He had really screwed up, hadn't he? How was he going to make it up to them?

A familiar voice called out to him. "Frisk? What are you doing?"

Frisk looked up and saw Agent Miller, looking down on him with a dumbfounded expression.

"Oh, if it isn't my stalker," Frisk quipped.

"It's my job," he countered. "Now, what's going on? Why are you so worked up?"

"I had to reset," Frisk quietly said. "A monster called Endogeny killed someone, so I reset to stop it from happening."

"Wait, a monster killed someone?" Miller asked. "Why?"

"They don't know any better," Frisk said. "They're not, uh, they're not really a normal monster; they're an amalgamate, multiple monsters fused together. Endogeny is a bunch of dog monsters; they think fighting is just play. It was an accident."

Miller scoffed. "Sounds like they belong in a mental hospital."

Frisk didn't like it, but perhaps he had a point there. He wasn't sure what had caused Endogeny to attack, but whatever the case, they had proved themselves to be very dangerous. It was possible that they really would need to be hospitalized when they sorted things out.

"Well, you should go home," Miller said. "This is a job for the Military Police, not some kid."

He shook his head. "No offense, but I don't trust you guys. How do I know you won't try to kill them again?"

"Oh, for the love of..." Miller sighed. "Frisk, I know it's hard for you to remember, but you're still just a kid. Leave this to the professionals."

Frisk laughed bitterly. "Are you serious?! You're giving me the 'You're just a kid' lecture? Could you be any more of a cardboard solider guy? Come on, I know you can do better than that. I saw you standing up to that General. You don't just accept orders without question."

Miller scowled, taking off his sunglasses to glare at him with his yellow eyes. "You don't know a thing about me."

Huh, a justice soul, Frisk noted. Until now, he had never seen Miller without his sunglasses, so he hadn't known. "You care about justice?" he asked. "Then let me make sure this doesn't go south. The human-monster situation is bad enough as is."

"Oh, fine," Miller said. "I suppose it never hurts to have the World Master on your side. Just don't do anything stupid."

"I could tell you the same thing," Frisk retorted.

Miller turned to face two figures approaching them. "So can they."

Frisk gulped. Chara and Asriel had caught up with him. Chara's red eyes glowed with anger. She quickly closed the distance shook her finger at him. "Don't. Ever. Do. That. Again."

Frisk frowned. "I'm so sorry."

"Do you have any idea what that was like?!" Chara yelled. "Do you have any idea what it's like to be ripped back in time without any warning? To know something terrible is about to happen, but no idea what? How could you leave us like that? Why, Frisk? Do you not trust me?!"

Frisk winced at the accusation. "Of course I trust you; I just didn't want to put you in danger."

"Oh, so I need to be protected?" Chara spat. "You think I'm too weak to help you?"

God, he really had messed up. He shook his head. "No! It's not like -"

Chara clenched her teeth like she was going to bite his arm off. "I will not stand idle while you play hero! I am done being a worthless voice in your head. You are not allowed to put yourself in danger without me. Is that clear?"

Frisk nodded. "C-crystal."

"Are you sure?" Asriel angrily asked. "It's hard to believe you when my severed vine feels like it's on fire."

Words couldn't express how sorry Frisk felt for that. He felt something sting his red eyes. "I… I know. I sh-shouldn't have l-left you like th-that. I should n-never have h-hurt Asriel. I'm s-so sorry!"

The fire in Chara's eyes died down, and she glanced at Asriel. "Umm, I think we may have overdone it," she said.

"Uh, yeah," Asriel agreed.

Chara gave Frisk a comforting smile and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Frisk, we're not that mad at you. I understand that you wished to keep us out of harm's way, but we wish to protect you as well."

Frisk wiped away his tears. "Th-thank you. I won't do it again; I promise."

Asriel rolled his eyes and smiled. "Yeah, yeah, crybaby. You're allowed to make a mistake every now and then. You don't have to be so damn perfect."

Chara smiled warmly "Even though you are." She wrapped her arms around Frisk and hugged him in a tender embrace. Frisk felt like a weight had been lifted from his chest. "You don't have to face this alone," she said. "You told me to stay with you, did you not?"

Frisk hugged Chara back. God, she was so amazing. "Y-yeah, I know you have my back. With you by my side, I feel like I can do anything."

She laughed. "Come on, Frisk. That's so cheesy, even for you."

He smiled. "Well, maybe not anything, but I certainly feel stronger with you around."

"Yeah, that's great," Asriel impatiently said, "but can you two please focus on the crazy dog amalgamate? Especially with that Miller guy here. He probably can't handle all this mushy stuff."

"I am a human being," Miller growled.

"Hey, it's alright," Flowey said. "You're not the only soulless person around here. We should start a fan club. The Soulless Fan Club. It's gotta be better than the Flowey Fan Club!"

Miller grunted. "I thought you were going to focus?"

"Uh, right," Frisk said. He took a deep breath as he prepared to deliver the horrible news. He brought Chara and Asriel close and talked as quietly as possible. "It was Endogeny. They… killed someone."

Chara's red eyes widened. "They... killed someone?"

"Huh, interesting," Asriel said.

Chara grimaced. "Don't tell me... they were 'playing,' were they not?"

Frisk nodded. "Yeah, I didn't see how it started, but yes, Endogeny was 'playing' with some human kid. And when he died, his soul… everyone saw it."

"What were they doing on the street?" Chara asked. "Who let them out?"

"Yeah, who let the dogs out?" Asriel asked.

For obvious reasons, the amalgamates seldom walked the streets. Normal monsters were hard enough for humans to get used to; the amalgamates and their hideously deformed bodies would have caused panic everywhere they went. It didn't help that they were not mentally stable. Over a dozen minds crammed into one body caused problems. If pushed, an amalgamate could forget who they once were and turn aggressive. For these reasons, the amalgamates were generally confined to their homes where they were taken care of by their families. Frisk recalled that Endogeny in particular was under the care of Dogamy and Dogaressa.

"We'll start with the Dogi couple," Frisk said. "They're the ones taking care of them. We'll see if they know anything."

Chara nodded. "Agreed. We have two hours, correct? Let us make haste."

They started jogging at a steady pace towards the Dogi residence. If they were too late, Frisk could probably reset again, but that was no excuse to rest easy. They had to try their best to resolve it the first time, and they had spent too much time chatting. They moved quickly.

"There's one other thing I don't understand," Frisk said as they ran. "Before I reset, the police shot Endogeny, but they weren't hurt at all. Why is that?"

"Must have something to do with all the DT," Chara guessed. "While Melty may have died easily, the amalgamates are quite different. Perhaps it's because the amalgamates lack physical mass, not unlike an incorporeal monster such as Napstablook or Mad Dummy."

"Ah, that makes sense," Frisk agreed. He closed his eyes and smiled. "But, umm, how did the monsters lose again?"

"Don't even get me started on that one," Asriel mumbled. "Seriously, where was Sans during the war?"

"The humans had more mages back then," Chara explained. "Ghosts may be immune to physical attacks, but not magical ones. Back when human mages were more common, not even the ghosts were a serious threat."

"All the magicians in the world wouldn't have mattered against him," Asriel muttered.

"Of course, human mages still exist," Chara said, "but they are far less common these days. While monsters are naturally attuned to magic, humans have to train themselves to use it. Now that they have modern technology, fewer humans are motivated to learn it. If another war were to break out, ghosts might overwhelm the humans. I don't see how the humans would be able to stop the ghosts from acquiring souls."

Frisk's head dropped down. It seemed like every day, he was being reminded how incredibly dangerous monsters were. Like Malcom had said, could a monster with seven souls kill another monster with seven souls? What exactly would happen if two such monsters clashed? Would one overpower the other, or would it be a tie? Or, could a monster become even more powerful by claiming more than seven souls?

Eh, unlikely. Seven appeared to be some kind of magic number in the world of DT. Seven magicians sealed the barrier, and seven souls allowed a monster to become godlike. Indeed, how could infinity be surpassed? What happened when two infinite forces collided? Frisk had no idea.

Chara frowned. "Do you understand why I'm afraid?" she asked. "I may have hated humanity, but that is not why I wanted to destroy them. The two races are simply too dangerous to coexist. As long as both humans and monsters exist, the potential to destroy the world exists. I'm still afraid of that; I'm still afraid that it'll eventually come down to humans or monsters."

What could Frisk say to cheer her up? She was right; as long as both races existed, the threat of soul absorption existed. It seemed like an unsolvable problem. Humans and monsters could try to prevent it all they wanted, but the only absolute solution was the elimination of one race.

"Well, it hasn't happened yet," Frisk said.

"Yeah," Chara replied. "It hasn't happened yet, even though it wouldn't be difficult at all. It really goes to show how kind monsters truly are, but will it always be that way? A single bad monster is all it could take."

"... they'll find a cure," Frisk said.

"And if they don't?" Chara asked.

"They will."

She gave him a sad smile. "Well, I suppose we can worry about that later. For now, let us focus on the task at hand."

He nodded. "Yeah."

Trying to ignore the growing dread in their minds, they continued running towards the home of Dogamy and Dogaressa.

Chapter Text

A few minutes later, they made it to the townhouse of Dogamy and Dogressa. The slowed their jog down to a walk as they got close. Miller had decided to hang back with the rest of his creepy Military Police guys. If things turned dangerous, they'd rush in, but Frisk hoped it wouldn't come to that.

Frisk, Chara, and Asriel walked onto the Dogi couple's doorstep, and Frisk knocked on the door. After a few moments, Dogamy opened it, with Dogaressa right beside him. Frisk hadn't noticed before, but both of their black jackets had a picture of their spouse's face on it. Frisk found it both kind of cute and kind of weird.

"Oh, good day, Frisk," Dogamy greeted.

"To what do we owe the pleasure?" Dogaressa asked.

"It's important," Frisk said. "Is Endogeny home?"

"Endogeny?" Dogamy asked. "Endogeny's always home."

"Poor thing hasn't had a walk in weeks," Dogaressa said.

That didn't sound good. "You weren't planning on letting them out, were you?" Frisk asked.

The two dogs answered at the same time. "Heavens, no," Dogamy said.

"Of course we were," Dogaressa said.

They looked at each other.

"What did you say?" Dogaressa snarled.

"Surely, you jest," Dogamy growled.

"You think I jest?!" Dogaressa shouted. "If we keep Endogeny in the house any longer, they'll go crazy!"

"They're already crazy!" Dogamy yelled.

"You take that back!"

"Why? It's the truth!"

Oh, God, Frisk thought. He glanced at Chara with an exasperated look. Is that how we'll end up if we get together?

Chara looked back at him, her eyes also filled with distress. "We... need to stop them," she whispered.

"Why?" Asriel asked. "I love it when they fight, much more interesting than their mushy lovebird act."

Frisk waved his arms. "Hey! This is important!"

"You bet it is!" Dogaressa said. "This man wants to keep Endogeny prisoner forever!"

"If we let them out, they could hurt someone!" Dogamy said.

"The only thing they'll hurt is your hideous pride!" Dogressa snapped.

As the two dogs barked at each other, Frisk decided to change tactics. "Uh, may we come in?" he asked. "We, uh, really wanted to see Endogeny."

"Oh, of course!" Dogaressa cheerfully exclaimed, as if she hadn't just been engaged in a vicious fight with her husband.

"If you keep them inside," Dogamy said.

As Dogaressa growled at him again, Frisk and the others quietly made their way inside their townhome. It was a humble residence. The living room had standard white carpet and white walls. The kitchen had a wooden plank floor, perhaps to make it look like a common home in Snowdin. Monster homes on the surface generally weren't much different from human homes, although some monsters such as Undyne still liked to make more unique and expressive designs.

"We know it's not much, but make yourselves at home!" Dogaressa said

"Can we get you anything?" Dogamy offered. "We were just about to go out for breakfast, but since we have guests…"

"We're fine," Frisk said.

"Well, alright," Dogaressa said. "Endogeny is upstairs, first room on the left."

Frisk thanked them, and they headed upstairs. On the second floor was a simple hallway leading to various rooms. Other than the fact that it smelled like a bunch of dogs, nothing was out of the ordinary. Except… one of the doors was covered in the sticky, white residue of an amalgamate. Frisk's face scrunched up in disgust, but he opened the door. He felt a little relived when he saw Endogeny inside, as opposed to outside. They were sitting in an empty corner, and their body was convulsing at an erratic pace.

"They might as well still be trapped in Alphys's lab," Chara whispered.

Frisk walked up to them. He reached out his hand to pet them. Endogeny seemed to appreciate it. They hummed affectionately as Frisk gently pet their amorphous body. He smiled. "There, there. It'll be okay."

Chara sighed. "Frisk, you're being too nice. They killed someone. We need to make sure they never do it again."

Frisk frowned. "What are you suggesting?"

Chara's tone turned ice cold. "Stand aside, Frisk." She pushed him out of the way and walked up to Endogeny. "Brother, I have no right to ask this, but -"

"Yeah, I'll do it." Asriel crawled next to Chara. Their ominous tone was creeping Frisk out.

Chara stared at Endogeny. A fire was burning in her red eyes. She smiled; it wasn't a friendly smile. "Greetings, Endogeny. I am Chara."

Endogeny barked happily, as oblivious as ever.

Chara stopped smiling. She spoke slowly. "Endogeny, do you know why we've come here?"

They gave her a confused whimper.

"You," Chara growled. "Without our intervention, you would have murdered an innocent child this day. Yes, that's right. A child. An innocent human child died because of you. Fortunately, Frisk was able to use his power to correct your mistake. But, do you think that absolves you of the consequences?"

Endogeny's body froze. Chara titled her head towards Asriel, and he summoned a row of energy bullets. Frisk didn't like where this was going. His voice trembled. "Wh-what are you doing?"

"You need to be taught a lesson," Chara said. "You need to be taught the difference between playing and fighting. You need to understand what you have done. You need to feel all the pain you have inflicted."

Asriel fired his energy bullets. As they pierced through Endogeny, they made the same heartbreaking whimper that other dogs made when they got hurt.

Frisk really didn't like this. "I-isn't this too far? They're mentally ill."

Ignoring him, Chara leaned in close to Endogeny. "This pain," she whispered. "This is what you made an innocent child feel. Do you like it?"

Asriel fired more bullets. Endogeny cried out in pain as the bullets went through them, opening wounds bleeding out the white, magical energy that they were made of. Frisk felt his heart shatter with every strike. He couldn't stand listening to their cries of agony, and it was even worse knowing that Chara was causing it. He could forgive Asriel since he was soulless, but Chara? How could she be so cruel? Frisk had thought... he thought she had changed. Was he wrong?

"How does it feel?" Chara snarled. "Is this fun to you? Is this your idea of playing?"

Endogeny's body shook left and right. 'No.' They were saying 'no.'

"No…?" Chara asked. "Hmmm… How curious. You seemed to have a different opinion when the roles were reversed. Let us make sure you understand."

"STOP IT!" Frisk cried.

Just before Asriel fired another volley of energy bullets, Frisk ran in front of Endogeny and blocked the destructive energy. He screamed as the white hot bullets shot through his chest. He collapsed to his knees, and a red stain formed on his blue and magenta striped shirt.

Chara's eyes widened. "FRISK!" She ran to his side, crouching down next to him. "A-are you okay?"

"Y-you idiot," Asriel muttered.

Chara checked Frisk's wounds, getting his blood all over her hands. Her red eyes were filled with sorrow. "Frisk, I... I'm sorry."

Frisk groaned painfully. "I've had worse. Just stop hurting them."

She sobbed. "A-alright, Frisk. We'll stop." She pulled out her phone and summoned a chocolate bar from her dimensional box. "Here, eat this. It's monster chocolate."

Frisk took the chocolate and ate it. The magical food dissolved in his mouth. His wounds were healed, but the pain remained. "Th-thanks."

Chara looked at Endogeny, who was still leaking their white substance. "I guess we should give them some, too," she said. She summoned another bar of chocolate.

Frisk reached out his hand. "Wait! Don't give them chocolate."

Chara sounded confused. "Huh? Why not?"

"Chocolate's poisonous to dogs," he said.

Chara frowned. "Oh, right. I'm so sorry, that completely slipped my mind."

"Hey, no harm done," Frisk said.

Chara looked at the wounds on Endogeny, and she looked at the blood on her hands. Her face was the portrait of anguish. "I... I haven't changed at all."

Frisk winced as she said that. He wanted to comfort her, but her harsh actions had filled him with doubt of his own. He knew that Chara was only trying to protect Endogeny from themselves, but the way she had gone about it was horrible. She had gone way too far, and Frisk had to scold her for it.

"Chara," he whispered, "that... that was not okay. It wasn't Endogeny's fault, and you know that. They don't deserve to be hurt so badly."

Chara sniffled. "I k-know, but I had to make sure. I had to be sure that they wouldn't do it again."

... Frisk couldn't stay mad at her. Now that he saw how regretful she was, he couldn't do anything but console her. He got up and placed a hand on Chara's shoulder. "I know," he said, "and you have changed. Maybe you'll never be perfect, but no one is. Everyone has flaws."

"But not everyone is fucked in the head like I am," Chara said.

Frisk frowned. How many times did he have to tell her to stop abusing herself? It was important for her to realize her mistakes, but she couldn't hate herself for making them.

Chara continued to stare at the blood on her hands. "Your blood," she whispered. "I did this. I hurt you, made you bleed, made you scream."

"We can talk about that later," Frisk said. "Just worry about Endogeny for now."

"... r-right," Chara breathed. "Endogeny, th-that's what matters right now."

She turned to face them. She scrolled through her phone and retrieved a crab apple from her dimensional box. She tried to hand it to Endogeny, but they recoiled back in fear. Chara gave them a friendly smile. "It's okay. I do not truly wish to harm you. I just... I needed you to understand. Remember when you hurt Frisk? That almost happened again. You don't want to hurt anyone, do you?"

After a few moments, Endogeny shook the part of their body that resembled a head.

"I understand if you cannot forgive me," Chara said. "I made my brother hurt you, for something you cannot even remember. Regardless, I hope you can believe me when I say that I was only trying to prevent you from doing something horrible."

"Yeah, that," Asriel said. "I don't have a soul, so I can't really say I'm sorry about it. Still, what Chara says is true. We didn't want to hurt you; we were just trying to stop you from doing something stupid."

Chara sat down next to Endogeny and offered him the apple again. "Here, this will heal you."

Slowly, Endogeny grabbed the apple with their claws and tossed it into their orifice. Their wounds closed.

"And it wasn't just for your sake," Chara said. "It wasn't even just for the kid's sake. If humans believe that monsters are a threat, then they are doomed to wage war with each other. I once believed that another Human-Monster War was inevitable, but thanks to a certain someone, I now hope that peace is possible. Frisk has fought so hard to give monsterkind another chance at freedom. I beg of you, do not let that chance go to waste. We must do everything we can to fulfill Frisk's hopes and dreams, understand?"

Endogeny barked.

"I shall take that as a 'yes,'" Chara said. She smiled warmly. "Perhaps I am biased, but Frisk truly is a wonderful person. He has suffered the pain of death multiple times in the name of giving every monster a better life. I could never thank him enough for that, and there is no chance in hell I am going to let his efforts be in vain. Humans and monsters will have a future together, united as the people of Earth. That is Frisk's dream, and now it is my dream as well."

Frisk stared at her, his heart touched by her words. How could he have doubted her? She may have been violent at times, but that was because she was so passionate about protecting the people she cared about. She was amazing.

Endogeny hummed contentedly and lowered their body to the floor, breathing at a steady pace. They appeared to be falling asleep.

Chara sighed. "I think we've done all we can."

Frisk nodded in agreement. He turned to leave and opened the door. Before walking out, he looked back at the amalgamate and whispered to them. "Take care, Endogeny."

Once they left the room, Frisk created a new SAVE point.

"... they'll still be unhappy," Chara whispered. "We didn't actually solve any of their problems. They are still doomed to remain in isolation."

Frisk frowned. "Yeah, but at least they're alive."

"But is it worth it?" Chara asked. "I would rather die than live my life as a prisoner."

Well, this was depressing. Frisk did his best to remain optimistic. "Well, maybe they will get better. Mentally speaking, at least. I have faith that it will be safe for them to walk the streets one day."

"I don't know," Chara said, "but it is a comforting thought, no?"

"Heh, yeah."

Suddenly, Frisk heard footsteps. Dogamy had come upstairs. "Frisk..." He gasped when he saw the blood on Frisk's shirt. "Oh my! Frisk, your water's leaking!"

"Uh, don't worry about it," Frisk said.

"W-well, if you say so," Dogamy replied. "I would ask how it happened, but we have a more pressing matter on our hands. For some reason, the Military Police has arrived at our doorstep."

Damn it! Even though they had stopped Endogeny, the Military Police had shown up anyway. Frisk and the others ran downstairs and saw Dogaressa talking to an officer of the Military Police. Frisk recognized the woman who Dogaressa was talking to; it was Purple, the one who had given the order to shoot Endogeny. Frisk knew from experience that she wasn't going to back down easily.

"What is this about?" Dogaressa demanded. "Why does everyone need to see Endogeny all of a sudden?"

"Endogeny has committed murder," the officer bluntly answered. "They killed a human child. Frisk saved the child's life by resetting the timeline, but we still need to investigate the incident. By order of President Malcom himself, we demand that you turn Endogeny over for arrest."

Dogaressa yelped in shock. "What?! Endogeny would never -"

"They did! Now hand them over!"

"Frisk," Chara whispered. "I can't be certain, but I think I know her. She looks like an older version of someone I've seen in one of my dreams. She knew Felicia. I believe her name is Nora."

Chara had experienced another dream? Frisk would have to ask her about it later. For now, they had the Military Police to worry about. So, Felicia had known Purple? And her real name was Nora? Small world.

Horrified, Dogaressa looked back towards Frisk. "Is… is that true? Did Endogeny really…?"

Frisk solemnly nodded. "Yes, but they didn't mean to."

Nora scoffed. "Oh, so they accidentally murdered someone?"

"Yes!" Chara shouted. "They didn't know what they were doing! Not that I would expect a human like you to understand!"

Nora scowled at her. "Well, if it isn't Chara. I don't understand why we haven't put you down like the psychopath you are."

Frisk couldn't help but feel a twinge of anger every time someone insulted Chara like that. Nora didn't understand her, and she didn't understand Endogeny. Chara, however, didn't bat an eye.

Nora's eyes, meanwhile, gravitated towards the red stain on Frisk's shirt. "What happened to you? Is that from your bleeding heart?"

Taking that as a compliment, Frisk smiled. "I guess so."

"That was Endogeny, wasn't it?" Nora correctly guessed. "Typical Frisk. Always forgiving murderers. How many times have monsters killed you?" She pointed at Dogamy and Dogaressa. "I bet those two right there have killed you!"

"N-no!" Dogamy protested.

Dogaressa whimpered. "Truth be told, we may have gotten a little rough..."

Although Frisk hated to admit it, Dogaressa had in fact killed him once. She had swung her axe right through his soul.

"Good thing you are the World Master," Nora said. "Because if not, then not only would you be dead, we'd all be dead. Your recklessness would have given Asgore his seventh and final soul, and that would have been the end of humanity."

Frisk grit his teeth. Why was this woman insulting him, all his friends, and everything he stood for? The monsters no longer had any reason to fight humanity. "It's true that Asgore once declared war," Frisk said, "but we're at peace now. There's no need to disturb it, and Endogeny never meant to hurt anyone."

"Endogeny is either a murderer or an idiot," Nora countered. "Either way, I'm taking them in."

"You can't do that!" Chara yelled. "We know the law! No matter what Malcom remembers from previous resets, you cannot arrest someone for a crime that never happened!"

"Well, look who's an expert at the law," Nora mocked. "Funny, for someone who has completely disregarded it, along with all sense of human decency. You probably would have been perfectly happy if Endogeny had absorbed that soul and went on a human massacre."

"Oh, human decency?" Chara sneered. "Because decency is exclusive to humans, right?"

Frisk had heard enough. "Leave Chara alone!" he shouted. "You don't know her! I can't stop you from hating her, but I won't sit quietly while you -"

In an instant, Nora drew her sword and pointed it right at Frisk's neck. "Get out of my way."

Frisk felt himself freeze completely still. He didn't want to relive the hell that Nora had put him through. Her purple eyes were ice cold. Frisk knew that Nora would kill him without hesitation if he gave her an excuse. His whole body trembled, and he felt an overwhelming urge to reset, to get away from the cold steel less than an inch from his neck. He wanted to close his eyes and wake up back home, safe with Chara and Asriel.

Chara growled. "If you dare spill a drop of his..."

Someone shouted from outside. "Captain Miller! Lower your weapon!"

Captain… Miller?

Agent Miller ran into the room. Much to Frisk's relief, Nora lowered her sword and turned to face him. "Ah, long time no see, Brother. What are you doing here?"

Brother?

Chara's eyes widened. "N-no way…"

"My job," Miller said.

"Ah, that's right," Nora replied. "You're part of that little Frisk Protection Squad."

"Oh, don't act like you're any better," Miller said. "I know you're still playing bodyguard for your boyfriend."

Nora smirked. "Yeah, what's your point? I'm not the one babysitting kids all day."

Frisk didn't know why, but Chara was completely freaking out over something. "Th-that's impossible! How could he become that?!"

Nora's smile vanished as quickly as it came. "Agent Miller, these three are obstructing Endogeny's arrest. They're in my way."

Agent Miller sighed and looked at Frisk. He dared to think there was some genuine sympathy in his yellow eyes. "Look," Miller said, "Endogeny will be given a fair trial. If they weren't planning to kill the child, they will not be charged with anything."

"Like hell they'll be given a fair trial!" Chara snarled. "Malcom is going to do everything he can to paint Endogeny as an insane murderer, proof that monsters cannot be trusted."

"That's not our problem," Nora coldly replied.

"But she's right," Asriel said. "Even if Endogeny doesn't get charged, the mere existence of this arrest is going to be a huge strain between humans and monsters. Like she said, Malcom is going to use this chance to plant as much doubt as he possibly can."

Nora's purple eyes flashed with hatred. "And maybe we should be afraid! Now, this is your last chance! Turn over Endogeny, or you're going with them!"

Dogamy whimpered fearfully while Dogagressa growled menacingly. Frisk held his arm out in front of her. "H-hey, stay calm."

"Calm?" Dogaressa snarled. "There're trying to take Endogeny. How can you expect me to stay calm?"

"She will kill us," Frisk said.

Nora chuckled. "Well-said, you seem to be learning, Frisk. Welcome to the real world. Your underground fairy tale has ended. It's time wake up and face reality. Now, step aside and let us arrest this monster. I won't ask again."

Frisk grimaced. Those words had cut deep. Were they right? Was Frisk too much of an idealist? Was it really too much to ask for humans and monsters to get along, in spite of their differences? In spite of the danger?

"Uh, hey," Asriel whispered. "I really think you should just hand the dogs over. You know, if you like being alive."

As much as it pained him, Frisk knew they had no choice. Chara, meanwhile, Chara stared daggers into Nora. "You can go burn in hell."

Nora again raised her sword and pointed ti at Chara. "How about I send you down there?"

Adrenaline surged through Frisk's body. NO! DON'T...!

Suddenly, Nora's eyes gravitated towards something behind them, Endogeny hovered down the stairs on their own, drifting past Frisk and the others towards Nora.

Chara gasped. "E-Endogeny, what are you...?"

"Endogeny, no!" Dogaressa shouted.

Nora looked at the barley coherent mass that was Endogeny in disgust. "Ugh, look at this thing. I don't see why you're all gushing over a blob. It's freaking ridiculous."

Chara clenched her fists. "I'll turn her into a blob."

"J-gust don't hurt them," Dogamy pleaded.

"You're a sick creature," Dogaressa growled.

Nora grunted. "The blob is not the one I'm worried about. Malcom said this thing shrugs off bullets like nothing. Your Royal Scientist has made some truly grotesque creatures."

"… get off our property," Dogaressa ordered.

"We were just leaving," Nora said. With Endogeny in tow, Nora and Agent Miller left the Dogi residence.

Frisk frowned sadly, and he stared at Dogamy and Dogressa. "I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault," Dogamy said.

Dogaressa dug her fingers into her skull. "There was nothing we could do," she said.

Chara's body drooped as if all her strength had disappeared. She rested her head on Frisk's shoulder, making him whimper sadly. "Chara..."

"Let's go home, Frisk."

"… yeah."

Chapter Text

Toriel had finally received a call from Frisk. She could tell from his voice that something terrible had happened, but all Frisk said was that he, Chara, and Asriel would be back soon. Toriel was going to make snail pie for them, but something in the back of her mind told her not to, so she made more butterscotch-cinnamon pie instead. She dearly hoped that they were okay, and she wished they would tell her what was wrong. In the past, Chara and Asriel had both acted this way often. They would often have such sad looks on their faces, but whenever she tried to ask what was wrong, Chara would always just laugh it off and insist that everything was fine. As for Asriel, he had not been so skilled at masking his emotions, but regardless, he had often refused to discuss his troubles.

In retrospect, Toriel had gotten a good idea what their problems were. Asriel, as the Prince of Monsters, had lived a rather sheltered life. He had been very lonely living in their castle, and he had been worried about his future responsibilities as the heir to the throne, as the heir to a kingdom that was barley clinging to its hope. It was not until he found Chara that Asriel had truly felt close to someone aside from his parents.

As for Chara, she had not climbed Mount Ebott for a happy reason. Although Toriel did not know the details, she knew that the humans had done something vile to her. Chara had understood Asriel's fears over the throne, because she could relate to him. Asgore - that fool - had always hailed Chara as the future of humans and monsters. Because of this, Chara had also feared that she would not live up to the exceptions that had been placed upon her. Combine that with her hatred for humanity… it was no wonder what had happened.

Toriel frowned. As their mother, she had failed both of them. She should have understood what they were going through long before they had taken such drastic actions. She was supposed to take care of them. She was supposed to keep them safe, but she had not. She had let her children die. She had failed them.

… Toriel was not going to fail her children again.

At last, they arrived home. Frisk opened the door. The expression on his face was heartbreaking. He and Chara both looked miserable, and Asriel just looked... empty inside. Toriel's mouth opened wide in horror when she saw the red stain on Frisk's shirt. Blood? Again? "Ch-children, what happened?" she asked.

None of them answered. Frisk just continued staring at her with his sad, dark red eyes.

"Talk to me," Toriel pleaded. "Frisk, why did you reset? Why did you flee your home so suddenly?"

Frisk barley made eye contact with her. "There... there was an accident."

Toriel could hardly believe the story that Frisk told her. He told her how he saw the amalgamate called Endogeny inadvertently kill an innocent child, and how he tried but failed to persuade the authorities not to arrest them.

"We couldn't stop them," Frisk said. "I knew they didn't deserve to be taken away, but I couldn't stop them…"

"Do not feel bad, Frisk," Toriel told him. "I know that you did all you could." She smiled. "Do not worry. I am certain that when the courts judge them, they will find Endogeny innocent. I highly doubt this case will even go beyond the preliminary hearing."

"Y-yeah," Frisk said. He frown turned into a slight smile. "You're right. Endogeny will be fine. No sane jury would convict them. The crime hasn't even happened; they weren't even planning on it. Even if I didn't reset, an insanity plea would be a breeze. There's nothing to worry about."

Toriel pat Frisk on the head. "Yes, everything will be alright." She looked at Asriel and Chara. They did not look as convinced. "Asriel? Chara? Are you two alright?"

"Yeah, just fine," Chara lied.

Before they died, Toriel would have allowed her children to work out this matter themselves. Not anymore. Toriel looked through her. "Chara, what is disturbing you?"

Chara avoided eye contact. "Don't you see? This isn't about Endogeny. They killed a human. They could have absorbed a human soul. No matter what happens to Endogeny, we are now one step closer to the next Human-Monster War."

The Human-Monster War… indeed, that atrocity was not something that Toriel wished to relive. She still remembered how it had all started. It had happened so fast, so suddenly. The humans had feared the monsters' power to absorb human souls so greatly that they had united all across the world in a global campaign to exterminate the entire monster race. It had all been sparked by a single monster who had absorbed six human souls. Toriel knew that she had not done it with malignant intentions, but even so, the humans were not willing to risk allowing such a dangerous power to exist. Countless monsters were turned to dust. It was only through their surrender that the monsters were spared, but sealed underground.

Yet, despite losing many loved ones during the war, Toriel did not hold a grudge against humanity. It was not fair to blame the humans for something that had happened millennia ago. That said, it was important to remember history, lest it be repeated.

"I believe humans and monsters have both learned from the past," Toriel said. "They know what such a war would lead to. I am confident that they will not make the same mistake a second time."

Chara' scowled at her. "How can you be so sure? Until they saw Asriel, the humans had completely forgotten about monsterkind. The monsters never forgot what they had lost, but among humans, the war had faded into mere myth and legend. That's how little the humans cared. They couldn't even be bothered to remember what they had done to an entire species. They felt no regret for the genocide they had committed."

Toriel was at a loss for words. She had to do something, but what could Toriel say? What could she say to someone who hated humanity so strongly that it drove her to sacrifice her own life?

"Humans never learn," Chara growled. "At this rate, it's only a matter of time until Malcom gets his war! I just hope when it's all over, the monsters are the ones left standing!"

Toriel's soul skipped a beat. She knew that Chara hated humanity, but witnessing it firsthand was an entirely different matter. How could she not have realized how strong it was? Did she not truly understand her own child?

It was so obvious now. Toriel recalled the first family photo they had taken with Chara. She had hidden her face behind the bouquet of flowers they had given her. Back then, Toriel had laughed it off as mere childish silliness, but now Toriel could see the pain and anxiety that her adopted child had been expressing.

When they had first met, Chara had been so afraid of them. She had not yet trusted her new family, and she did not become like a sister to Asriel overnight. It had slowly happened over time. Toriel had not liked to think about it, but it was clear that Chara's past on the surface had conditioned her to be distrustful of others. The signs were all there, but Toriel had failed to to see just how far Chara was willing to go. Toriel could only blame herself for that.

Chara looked away in shame. "But who am I to talk? I never learn, either."

Toriel tried to comfort Chara, but Chara brushed her away and ran to her room. Why should she chase after her? What could she do? Toriel sat down at the kitchen table and rested her head on it.

Asriel sighed and looked at Frisk. "You get Chara. I'll take care of Toriel."

"… okay."

While Frisk left to coddle his precious not-quite-yet-official-but-you-know-it's-coming girlfriend, Flowey looked at the old hag that was Toriel.

"What do you want?" Toriel asked. "What could I possibly do for you?"

Flowey used his vines to pull himself up on top of the table. One might not have thought that a soulless creature like himself would be able to console anyone, but on the contrary, Flowey had become friends with everyone in the underground at least once. He had done everything that world had to offer, good and bad. He knew Toriel better than he knew her when he was Asriel. He had made her happy… and he had made her suffer. He knew exactly how Chara had broken Toriel. He had this. Flowey rested a vine on Toriel's shoulder, calmly looked her in the eyes, and gently said…

"QUIT WHINING!"

Toriel groaned.

Okay, maybe this was a bit harder without actually being able to reset anymore. Flowey sighed. "Look, I get that you feel pathetic for letting me, Chara, and six other children die." Genius, Flowey. Bring up the other children. Guilt trip her back down to the Underground why don't you? "But what Chara and I did, that was something no one could predict. Believe me, I know a thing or two about predicting people. It wasn't your fault."

Toriel lifted her head and looked at him. "Asriel, do you still love Chara?"

That question caught Flowey off guard. "Huh? Well, I don't really love anyone anymore," he answered honestly. "But as for Asriel, yes. Up to the end, Asriel still loved Chara."

"I see," Toriel replied. "You were very compassionate, my child. If I were in your position, I must confess that I do not know if I could still love Chara." Toriel sniffled. "I am sorry, but there is no denying it. What she tried to make you do was sick. I still love her because she is my child, but if she were not, well, look what happened between me and your father. I could never truly forgive him for his actions, and what Chara did is not that different. They have both committed utterly disgusting acts."

Yeah... good thing you don't remember the things I've done to you.

"… hey," Flowey said. "Wasn't it you who said not to blame anyone? We're all at fault here. Don't tell Frisk I said this, but honestly, Chara does have more than her fair share of blame. Still, I'm hardly blameless myself. I could've stopped Chara. I could've told you what she wanted me to do, but instead I handed her the flowers she killed herself with. I don't regret the decision I made at the village, but I regret that decision more than anything. If anyone let Chara die, it's me, not you."

"… my child," Toriel said. "You no longer view yourself as Asriel, do you? I understand if you do not want me to think of you as Asriel. However, I will still consider you my child. Even if you cannot love me, I shall love you regardless."

Flowey couldn't say he was moved by that. He had heard it before, in fact, several times.

"I don't think any of us are the same person we were back then," Flowey said. "You, me, Chara, Dad… we've all changed."

"I... I suppose we have... hey, remember the first picture we took with Chara?"

Flowey genuinely smiled. "Ah, yes. She was so scared back then."

"Needless to say, it was not the last. We took another later, and the difference was astonishing! You could really see how much happier she had become!"

"Haha, yeah. It made me so happy, too."

"... I am sorry," Toriel apologized. "I know we have all suffered. I will try to be strong for you. Do not worry about me. I shall be all right." She rested her head back on the table. "I just need a minute."

Flowey sighed again. I hope Frisk is doing better...

Frisk quietly entered his room. He looked inside and saw Chara sitting on the couch. Her face was buried in the palm of her hand. She nearly jumped out of the couch when she saw him "Oh, Frisk! I'm… I'm fine! Don't worry about me!"

Frisk smiled at her. "Alright, then may I sit with you? I've haven't had you all to myself since I got you out of my head."

He had no shame.

Despite herself, Chara's cute pink cheeks turned red. "S-sure, Frisk. I'd like that."

Frisk sat down next to her on the couch. He just sat quietly for a while, letting Chara rest. He knew that Endogeny's arrest had distressed her. It had distressed him too, but for Chara, that arrest was a sign that humans couldn't be trusted after all. Frisk had no idea what to say to put her at ease.

Eventually, it was Chara who broke the ice. She turned to face him, and she touched the bloodstain on his shirt. "I'm so sorry, Frisk. I did not intend to hurt you."

Frisk gave her a serene smile and held her hand. "Don't worry about it."

Chara frowned. "You shouldn't forgive me so easily. I made my brother hurt Endogeny so badly. I made them scream, because that is how I solve problems. Does that not bother you? How could you possibly put up with me?"

He kept smiling. "Well, I didn't like it," he admitted, "but it's not like you enjoyed hurting them. You were just doing your best to help."

"But did I help?" Chara asked. "You and Endogeny were both injured because of me. That was the opposite of helping. Perhaps..." She grimaced. "Perhaps you should have left me behind after all."

He shook his head. "No, leaving you behind was the biggest mistake I've made in a long time. You did help, Chara. If I had comforted Endogeny alone, I don't think I would have gotten through to them. They would have been arrested without the slightest clue why, but thanks to you and Asriel, Endogeny realized how easily they could kill someone if they're not careful. Sure, maybe we didn't stop their arrest, but we did ensure that they will never repeat their mistake. I never could have done that alone; it took all three of us."

Chara stared at him, her red eyes wide in amazement. "Frisk, you're too..." She took a deep breath and smiled. "Thank you."

He smiled back. "Believe me, Chara. You'd have to try really hard to make me hate you."

She continued to smile warmly. "You truly are too kind. As long as it's there, you can see the good in anyone." She paused for a moment. "How about Nora? Can you think of anything nice to say about her?"

Frisk smirked. "Well, she's got some nice purple eyes and -"

Chara playfully slapped him. "Damn it, Frisk! She's at least three times your age! Then again, you did flirt with my mother, so why am I surprised?"

Frisk laughed. "I'm kidding! You know that! Besides, they are nothing compared to your beautiful red eyes!"

Chara blushed a flustered red. "Wh-what's with you and my eyes? Your eyes are red as well, you know."

"Yes, but yours are so bright and passionate!"

"P-please remain focused," Chara stammered. "This is important. Jokes aside, is there anything you like about Nora?"

Frisk hummed. It probably wouldn't have been wise to let Chara know that Nora had killed him before. It was hard for him to like her after that, but then again, he had forgiven other people for killing him, hadn't he? Maybe it was possible. "Well," Frisk said, "despite teasing him, she seems to like her brother, so she can at least be nice to the people she cares about. She hates monsters a lot, but it's perfectly rational to be afraid of them. I've only seen a single glimpse of her; I can't really judge someone I know so little about."

She laughed quietly. "Ah, Frisk. Of course. Of course you don't hate her. I would expect nothing less." She frowned. "However, I could never be nearly as forgiving as you. I, for one, despise Nora with every bone in my body. I can't believe she pointed her sword at you! If she had dared spill a single drop of your blood, I would have fucking killed her!"

Frisk found that perfectly understandable. "Well, that's alright," he said. "I don't expect you to be as forgiving as I am, and that's okay. I think your aggression is something you should work with rather than against."

"Heh, an interesting perspective," Chara said.

"I mean, if someone killed you, I'd feel the same way," Frisk said.

"Fair enough," Chara said. "Still, does it not bother you? Knowing how different I am? How hateful I can be? Asriel was right; I'm nothing like you."

"That's not what he said," Frisk countered. "He said we're different, not opposites."

"Then, what do we have in common?" Chara asked.

Frisk held her hand tighter. "So much more than you realize. For starters, we both love monsters, don't we? In our own ways, we were both willing to fight for their freedom. You did take it too far, but I understand why you did it."

She frowned. "I... I don't know. Which was stronger? My love for monsters, or my hatred for humanity? What was I really fighting for? You like to think that I did it for love, but what if I was just a demon all along? Even I'm not sure."

Frisk touched the heart locket that Chara wore around her neck. "What kind of demon would wear something like this? If you are a demon, you're the most loving demon I've ever heard of."

Chara held her locket and stared at it for a while. "What else do we have in common?"

Frisk smiled. "Well, there is our fashion sense! And our hairstyles! I bet people can't tell us apart at a glance!"

Chara failed to resist smiling back. "Serious answers only please."

"But Chara, that's one of the things I love about you. You can get very serious, but you also have a great sense of humor!"

"Frisk…"

Frisk threw his hands up. "Alright, alright! Serious Mode: on!" He thought it over some more. "We both like anime," he said.

"Heh, I suppose that is a good common interest," Chara said.

"We both like video games," Frisk went on.

"Who doesn't?" Chara asked.

"Hey, a lot of people don't."

"Weird people, sure. Anything else?"

What else? Ah, of course! "We both have red eyes," Frisk said.

Chara groaned. "I said no..." Her red eyes widened. "Oh, right. We are both determination souls. Heh, I guess that's something Felicia has in common with us as well… that reminds me, I still haven't told you about my last dream."

Oh, right! Frisk had almost forgotten. "Ah, yes! Tell me everything!"

Chara explained everything about her latest dream of Felicia, about her interaction with Nora and Nate. Chara stared at him intently. "So, still think Nora's not that bad?"

Frisk thought about it. "Well, her opinion on World Masters isn't exactly unusual."

Chara's red eyes flashed with anger. "That's hardly the worst part. She would have let the monsters rot underground forever. Even if she didn't have a hand in Felicia's death, she probably wasn't exactly sad to see Felicia go."

"It does move her up the suspect list," Frisk admitted. "But it doesn't prove anything."

Chara sighed, and she smiled. "In any case, I still can't believe Nate is Nora's brother. He's Agent Miller! I don't know how that goofball became the stoic solider he is now! I mean, it has been a long time, but still."

Frisk chuckled. "Ah, so that's what you were freaking out over." Although, Frisk was curious as well. What had changed Nate? What froze the soul he apparently once had? Could it have been some sort of fallout from Felicia's death? Probably. No doubt losing a friend like that would affect someone deeply, especially considering his crush on her. It must have been devastating. Frisk didn't want to think what he would have done if he ever lost Chara like that.

"But Felicia was so awesome!" Chara exclaimed. "You should have seen her! The way she stood up to Nora! It was incredible!"

Frisk smiled. "I'm glad you found another human you like."

Chara frowned sadly. "Yeah, about time, is it not?"

Frisk winced. "S-sorry, I didn't mean it like that."

Chara shook her head. "No, you're right. I need to understand that you're not the only good human out there. There are good humans. I know that. I always knew that. It's just… I can't stop seeing the worst in humanity. The monsters said it themselves. Monsters pride themselves on love and compassion, while a human can easily live without those things."

"I know you're not going to start loving humanity overnight," Frisk said. "I know I'm not enough to represent an entire race, but like Toriel said, I'm sure that humanity has changed since the war."

"Have they?" Chara asked. "How could I ever forgive humanity if they let the war start a second time?"

Frisk struggled to come up with something to say, but how could she forgive humanity if they slaughtered everyone she loved? What could Frisk say that he hadn't already said?

A desperate expression appeared on Chara's face. Suddenly, she pinned Frisk against the back of the couch and grabbed him by the shoulders, rather tightly. Frisk gasped. "Ch-Chara?!"

"Frisk! Tell me it's going to be okay! Tell me there WON'T be another war! Tell me I won't have to watch Asriel die again!"

Frisk took a deep breath. He answered Chara as hopefully yet honestly as he could. "I know things look bad. I don't know what I can do to stop Malcom, but I won't give up. I want a future where it doesn't matter whether you are a human or a monster, a future where we are are simply the people of Earth." He caressed Chara's cheek. "But I can't do it alone. Will you help me, Chara?"

Chara's eyes welled up with hope. She wrapped her arms around his back and held him close. "Of course, Frisk. Of course I will help you. Despite my fears, I will do anything to make your dream a reality." She smiled sadly. "I'm sorry. You must be so sick of my whole 'I don't trust humanity, but I trust you' act."

"It's alright," Frisk said. "Like I said, I know it's going to take some time."

"Well, I am glad that I can trust you," she said warmly. She hugged him tighter. "I am so happy that I met you."

Frisk gasped. The feeling of Chara's warm arms wrapped so tightly around him sent his heart racing. He smiled. "You know, Chara. If you keep holding me like this, I might start wanting a bit more…"

Chara's entire face glowed red. She jumped off him and backed away, sitting against the other side of the couch. Frisk laughed in his head. Maybe that was a bit too much.

"F-Frisk…" Chara stuttered. "I... I have to ask you something… what exactly am I to you?"

Frisk gave her a tantalizing smirk. "Ah, Chara. You want me to just come out and say it? Where's the fun in that?"

Chara shut her eyes and clenched her teeth. "Y-you… motherflirting... frisky… Frisk…"

Aww, poor Chara…

... no, he's not going to beat me. I'll show him who's in control!

Chara calmed herself and gave Frisk her best seductive grin. "You don't want to tell me? Fine, but I'm not so patient. I'll come out and say how I feel." She leaned over him, pressing her arms around both sides of his head into the couch behind him. She could see his cheeks starting to turn red. Good. The more uncomfortable he was, the better. Ignoring her own impulse to blush, Chara leaned in closer and whispered in his ear. "I want you, Frisk."

Frisk's blush grew even deeper. "Ch-Chara… I… I…"

Revenge was sweet. Chara didn't relent. She lovingly stroked his cute chocolate brown hair. "At a loss for words? That's alright. Take your time, my sweet Frisk."

Frisk stared into her. His red eyes were so dashing. "Chara… would you like to go on a date with me?"

And with that, Chara immediately went back to blushing harder than Tsunderplane. "Frisk, are you serious?"

He nodded. "Yes."

"You mean, an actual date?"

"Yes."

"Not like, a date with Papyrus date? A real date?"

"A real date."

Chara's heart pounded. She struggled to speak while Frisk looked at her with nervous anticipation. "Chara… please say something."

Chara couldn't believe it. Frisk had actually asked her out! Chara couldn't believe that such a kind and loving person could want her. She didn't deserve him. No one who had committed sins as great as hers deserved someone so pure. She should have told him that she wasn't good enough for him, that he could find someone better than her, but instead…

"Yes," Chara said. "Let's go on a date, Frisk!"

Wait a minute, Flowey thought. I hope Frisk isn't doing TOO well!

"Those two were really insufferable together... Nuzzling noses, bein' all cute n' cuddly in public... Embarrassing their children... They were so sweet it made me SICK. Thank god those days are over!"

-Gerson

Chapter Text

Over the next week, Endogeny's punishment had been decided. The court had determined that his mental state rendered him dangerous, so they ordered that they remain supervised inside their home. In other words, nothing had changed, really, except that their security had increased. The Government placed a tracker on Endogeny, like someone under house arrest. If Endogeny ever strayed from home again, the Military Police would quickly respond. Additionally, this applied to all amalgamates, as they were all determined to suffer from the same condition.

Frisk had hoped that the Government was secretly behind Endogeny's episode, but after investigating the matter himself, he had determined that Endogeny had acted entirely on their own. Dogaressa had allowed Endogeny to go outside, and the rest was their own doing. Unfortunately, this gave Malcom more ammunition to use against the monsters. Still, even if Frisk hadn't intervened, he knew that Endogeny wasn't going to absorb that soul. It would have been horrible if that innocent child had remained dead, but the world had not been in danger.

However, Frisk tried not to worry about it. For the time being, he had something more personal on his mind. He and Chara wasted no time planning their first date. As one would expect of her, Chara preferred to go somewhere that was run by monsters, but she definitely wanted to go somewhere nicer than Grillby's, which left one obvious choice. The MTT Restaurant was notoriously difficult to get a reservation for, but Frisk got Mettaton to pull some strings.

"But Frisk, darling," Mettaton said over the phone. "Well, besides seeing my lovely face, why do you need a table for two at my restaurant so urgently?"

"U-umm..."

"Could it be? Has someone finally smitten the long sought after heart of Frisk?"

"Y-yes, actually..."

"I KNEW IT! Tell me! Who is the lucky date?"

"... it's Chara."

Mettaton paused. "Well... that is an... interesting choice... I LOVE IT!"

Frisk laughed. "Thanks, Mettaton."

"Don't worry, Frisk! I'll make sure you have your table! And your chairs, and your plates, and your forks, and your kni -"

"Y-yeah, I've got it."

"Alrighty, Frisk! We'll have something special planned when you arrive! See you -"

"W-wait! Mettaton... can you... uh... keep quiet about me and Chara?"

Mettaton's tone turned uncharacteristically serious for him. "Ah, yes, I understand. That's probably best."

He uttered a relieved sigh. "Thank you, Mettaton. See you there."

"Toodles!" Mettaton hung up.

Frisk hoped Mettaton listened. It wasn't that they wanted to keep their relationship a secret; they just didn't want Mettaton screaming it from the top of Mount Ebott. When the public found out about him and Chara... not everyone was going to take it well. A lot of people were angry that Chara wasn't dead. They still saw her as a demon who would kill them all if she had the power to do so. Some even went as far as to call her the demon from the ancient human prophecy. They thought Frisk was insane to trust her. When they found out that Frisk had gone as far as to date Chara...

But, part of Frisk was excited for them to find out. He wanted to let everyone know how much he cared about Chara. He wanted to show them they didn't have to fear her. He loved her, and if people judged him for that, so be it. Frisk knew he wasn't going to change their minds, and that was all right. He wasn't trying to make anyone like Chara. They could dislike her as much as they wanted, but Frisk would be damned if he let anyone take her away from him.

With a deep breath, Frisk opened the door out of his room. Chara was waiting in the hall, dressed as usual. They had considered dressing more formally, but Chara said she wanted Frisk to look exactly as he did when they met. She said there was something 'iconic' about his striped shirt. Frisk smiled and agreed. Neither of them were much for dressing up anyway. They just wanted to be themselves.

When she saw him, Chara grinned and leapt into his arms. "Oh my God, Frisk! I'm so excited!"

Frisk laughed. "Me too."

"I haven't been this happy in over a hundred years!"

"Haha, I'm sorry I took so long."

Chara smirked. "So, how long have you been waiting for this day?"

"Chara... I've wanted to date you since... well, remember that random girl who asked me out a while back, and I told her I liked someone else?"

Chara's eyes widened. "Frisk, you meant... me?" She giggled. "You wanted me before I even had a body? How was that going to work?"

Frisk smiled. "Well, I guess you could say you were... close to my heart."

Chara howled with laughter. "Oh, Frisk! Toriel would be proud!"

"So, what about you? When did you become interested? Was it my expert flirting?"

She smiled mischievously. "Well, remember when I flirted with Tsunderplane? Do you know what I whispered to them?"

"But Chara, I thought that was a secret."

She grinned. "I told them to back off, because you're mine!"

Frisk laughed. "So, you got a little yandere with Tsunderplane?"

"Haha, just a little..."

Frisk felt warmth in his soul. "You're so sweet..."

As they talked, Toriel walked into the hall and smiled at them. "You two seem quite cheerful this evening. Did something special happen?"

Frisk froze. In all their excited, they had yet to tell her about them. She had no idea they were about to start dating.

"Oh, Mother," Chara said. "Uh... Frisk and I are going to the MTT Resort tonight."

"Well, that sounds lovely!" she said. "What about Asriel? Is he coming with you?"

"N-no," Chara replied. "Just me and Frisk."

"Oh, well, I suppose if Asriel does not wish to come, that is -"

"I'd LOVE to come!" Asriel crawled into the hall with a big smile. "Golly! Why didn't you guys tell me you were going somewhere? Don't tell me you forgot about your best friend!"

"B-Brother," Chara stammered. "Uh... Frisk and I have reservations at the restaurant for just the two of us."

"Just the two of you? Why, my dear sister, if I didn't know any better, I'd say you and Frisk are going on a date!"

"Oh, my child," Toriel said. "Do not jump to such rash conclusions. Simply because Frisk and Chara have reservations at an elegant restaurant does not mean... is this a date?!"

Frisk and Chara both blushed. "Y-yes," Frisk breathed.

Toriel stared at them dumbfounded, and then she relaxed, as if realizing something. "Oh!" She laughed. "Ah, Frisk. You really are an 'interesting' young man!"

Frisk's stomach churned. She thinks it's a joke...

She was still laughing. "All right, you two! Have fun on your 'date!'"

She thinks it's a joke!

Frisk was about to speak up and stress that they were serious about this, but Chara spoke up first. "Yes, Mother! We will!"

"Oh, all right," Asriel said. "I'll let you two have your fun. See you soon!"

Frisk couldn't accept this! He couldn't leave before clearing things up. "But, Toriel! This is -"

Chara grabbed his arm and yanked him away. "Let's get going, Frisk! We don't want to be late!"

"But -"

"Let her think what she wants," Chara whispered.

"But..."

She opened the front door and dragged him outside into the late sunset, closing the door behind them. "Don't worry," she said. "We'll tell her soon. I just... I just want you right now."

Frisk looked through her. "Chara, are you worried she won't approve?"

She laughed bitterly. "Oh, of course not! What mother wouldn't want her evil demon child to go out dating?"

Frisk gasped. That was not okay. "Chara! She's your mother! She loves you!"

"Frisk," Chara whispered. "I can tell; she's more upset with me than she lets on. Her son is an emotionless flower because of me. There is no forgiveness for that."

Frisk had enough. He grabbed Chara's shoulders. "Chara, stop it. It's not you that Toriel is upset with. I don't want to hear you say things like that anymore."

After a long pause, Chara smiled. "Oh, I see how it is. Getting a little bossy now that we're dating? Is this what our relationship is going to be like?"

Frisk smiled back. "Yeah, it's gonna be completely abusive. My goody-two-shoes act has fooled you perfectly! Now, you'll do what I say whether you like it or not!"

"Oh, no! You saved an entire race just to seduce me? How horrible! How could I have been so blind to fall for your insidious schemes?"

"Haha, well, if it makes you feel better, the whole underground bought it, so you're not the only one! You're all under my control!"

She gasped. "All you ever wanted was power? That's all we were to you? That's all I was to you? What a disgusting creature! How dare you! I trusted you! We all trusted you! If only I could see through your lies!"

"Yes, that's right! You were all just pawns in my little game! You were all fools to trust me! As Flowey would say, you're all naive idiots!" He laughed. "Okay, I can't keep this up anymore. You know I could never actually do that, right?"

Chara laughed, and she hugged him. "I'm sorry, Frisk. You're right. Tonight, let us cast our problems aside. Let's just enjoy ourselves."

Frisk hugged her back and sighed wistfully. He could get used to the warmth of her body. "Yeah, let's just be happy tonight."

Chara nodded. She took Frisk's hand, and they headed for the bus stop that would take them to the MTT Resort. Excitement bubbled up in Frisk's chest. Their first date was just about to -

"Hey, Frisk?"

"Yes, Chara?"

Chara smirked. "DATING START!"

Frisk and Chara got off the bus they had taken. The MTT Resort was just a short walk away. As they walked, Frisk took in the beautiful bright lights illuminating the night skyline of Surface Home... and he spotted a Military Police van following them. He had almost forgotten about them. He sighed. His life was never going to be normal, was it? Sans was right. He wasn't a normal kid. Being the World Master had destined him to be extraordinary, for better or worse.

Chara noticed Frisk looking at them. "Oh, don't worry about them!" she said. She affectionately held his arm. "If they want to look, let them! Let them watch as we say sickly sweet things to each other!"

His heart lightened. "Oh, you know there'll be plenty of that! I'm not going easy on the flirting just because we're dating!"

Chara grinned. "I'd expect nothing less from my dear Frisk!"

The MTT Resort wasn't much further. They arrived at their destination shortly. They went inside and were greeted by the resort's opulent atmosphere. The whole lobby was filled with people, both human and monster, happily chatting and going about their business. Frisk even noticed some other couples in the room whispering to each other. Over the speakers, an old jazz song, even older than Chara's time, was playing. The melody was calm and relaxing, and the lyrics... well, Frisk personally found them deep and captivating, but...

You always hurt the one you love
The one you shouldn't hurt at all
You always take the sweetest rose
And crush it 'till the petals fall

Probably not what Chara wanted to hear...

In the center of a lobby was a fountain, quite a bit different from the one in the old MTT Resort back underground. Along the rim of the fountain were statues of the six humans who fell into the underground between Chara and Frisk, and in the center was an arrangement of statues based on a photo of Frisk, Toriel, Asgore, Sans, Papyrus, Alphys, and Undyne. One might have thought that Mettaton may have actually lost some of his narcissism, if it weren't for the giant Mettaton statue standing behind the others as if he were some kind of god watching over them. Well, it was certainly an improvement.

Chara walked up to the fountain and excitedly pointed at the statue of Frisk. "It's you!"

Frisk smiled. "Yeah, I can see that."

They read the fountain's inscription.

To all the heroes who granted us freedom.

-212X

"One hundred years..." Chara said with melancholy in her voice. "Over one hundred years since Asriel and I died, and another one hundred years the monsters were forced to suffer. It may not seem like much compared to the two thousand years they had been trapped already, but every year grew harder than the last. I hate to think what might have happened if they had been imprisoned any longer."

Frisk recalled the history of those last one hundred years. When the humans witnessed Asriel in 2016, the old legends surrounding Mount Ebott and the war with monsters sprung back to life. Over the next five decades, several adventurers explored the mountain, and six of them never returned. In the year 2074, President Elizabeth Malcom ordered a quarantine of Mount Ebott to prevent the monsters from getting more human souls. Citizens and politicians of the World Government argued fervently over what to do about the imprisoned species. Some insisted they were entitled to the same rights humans were, while others argued they were far too dangerous to be released. The deadlock had shown no signs of being resolved anytime soon.

But in 2122, Frisk breached the Government blockade and helped Asriel finally destroy the barrier that had trapped the monsters since 0 CE. After meeting the monsters, humanity's opinion of them shifted favorably. Monsters and humans saw Frisk as a hero. Monsters integrated with human society peacefully, but recent events were straining this peace.

"Well, they're free now," Frisk said.

Chara's head drooped down. "Yeah, thanks to you and Asriel."

Frisk gently held her chin up. "Hey, you helped too, Chara."

She smiled. "Right, I won't act all depressed tonight. I promise!"

You always take the sweetest rose
And crush it 'till the petals fall

Chara sighed.

They still had a few minutes until their table was ready, which gave them time to talk before they stuffed their faces with food. For that reason, Frisk had heard that dinner wasn't really the best choice for a first date, but their relationship had certainly progressed far beyond 'let's get to know each other.' It was fine in their case.

"So, how have you been doing?" Frisk asked.

"Okay," Chara answered. "All things considered."

"I heard you saw Undyne a couple days ago. You two getting along?"

Chara laughed. "Ah, yes. That was fun."

"There's never a dull moment with her! What did you do?"

"Oh, uh..." Her eyes shifted nervously. "We, uh, we sparred."

Frisk blinked. "Sparred? With Undyne? She casually suplexes boulders! Are you okay?"

She smiled. "Yeah, she went a little easy on me. But, more importantly, I wanted her to teach me something."

"Hmm?" Teach you what?"

"I asked her to teach me how to use magic."

"Ah, that sounds cool!" Frisk exclaimed. "How did that go?"

She gave him an embarrassed smile. "Well, let's just say it involved Undyne shouting a lot, and not a lot of magic being done, except by Undyne, who may have broken a few things..."

Frisk laughed. "Well, mage or not, you're magical to me!"

She rolled her eyes. "Oh God, Frisk. Now that one was just cheesy, and that's coming from someone who loves puns."

"Aww, I'm sorry to disappoint you. I can do better."

"Just don't compliment my eyes again. You've done that one to death."

"But they're so beautiful! Every time I look at them, I feel like I'm going to melt!"

"Ouch, that's a lot of determination! I hope you don't turn into an amalgamate!"

He smiled warmly. "Chara, you fill me with determination."

"That's my line!"

He laughed. "So, what made you want to learn magic?"

"Oh, uh..." Chara frowned. "When Nora threatened you, I felt so powerless. At any moment, she could have made you choke on your own blood, and there was nothing I could've done about it. I know you could have reset, but even so, I want to protect you. I can't stand seeing you get hurt."

"I was scared," Frisk admitted. "I was tempted to reset. All I could think was that I wanted to wake up back home." He caressed her cheek. "Safe with you."

Chara blushed. "Frisk, I... you really feel safe with me? You know that people are going to think you're crazy for dating me, right?"

Crush it, 'till the petals fall

"So what?" Frisk asked. "I don't care what they think. I know things aren't going to be easy for us, but you're worth it, Chara."

Her blush deepened. "Th-thank you, Frisk. I will try not to cause you too much trouble."

So if I broke your heart last night
It's because I love you most of all!

Frisk looked around the lobby. As he had suspected, they had attracted quite a bit of attention. Phones were out, pictures were being taken... Frisk didn't care. Fame was something he had learned to live with.

A random human girl approached them. "Frisk, I'm sure this crazy, but you two look like you're on a date or something!"

Frisk glanced at Chara for permission. She nodded. They didn't mean to flaunt it, but since they asked, "We are!" Frisk answered with a smile.

The stranger's eyes widened in shock. "Wh-what?! But..."

Yeah, I know. 'How could I date a demon?' Right?

"But I wanted to date you!" the girl, who Frisk totally had never flirted with, pouted.

... oh.

A human boy, who Frisk may or may not have called cute in the past, overhead them. "What?! Frisk is dating someone? Damn it! When I saw him here I thought I finally had my chance..."

Tsunderplane flew in. "Hey! Don't be jealous! I'm totally not jealous or anything!"

Napstablook floated in. "I know I said I'd just weigh you down... but I really thought we had a connection when you flirted with me... oh, well. It's okay. It's not hard to find someone better than me."

A moldsmal slithered by and gave Frisk a disappointed wiggle.

Chara smirked and whispered to him, "You feel your sins crawling on your back."

Who was she kidding? He felt no shame for this! Well, maybe a little for Napstablook. Poor Blooky. If they weren't a ghost, he'd give them a hug.

A girl glared at Chara. "What have you done to him, you demon?"

Ah, there it is. Frisk ignored her, and so did Chara.

Over the growing mass of broken hearts, someone in the background caught Frisk's eye. Two humans about Frisk's age were heatedly arguing over something involving monsters. One of them was a young man wearing glasses over his purple eyes. The other one looked familiar, a young man with short blonde hair and blue eyes.

No way, is that...

Frisk walked towards his old friend, one of the few he had before climbing Mount Ebott.

"Yes," the stranger said in the middle of their conversation. "That's my point exactly. Endogeny is insane."

"Then you must understand why they can't be held..." He turned around. "Frisk?"

"Lucas?"

Lucas grinned, and he pounded fists with Frisk. "Long time no see! Did you forget about me now that you're famous?"

Frisk laughed. It was so great to see him again! "No, of course not! It's just... been a busy year."

"I can see that," Lucas replied. "When I heard what you had done, I was so happy for you. To think that you actually freed the monsters. You did a great thing."

Frisk beamed. "Thanks, I was happy to -"

The stranger scoffed. "Hmph, this kid has doomed us all."

Chara scowled at the stranger.

"Jeff," Lucas said. "We don't have to be so afraid of monsters. They -"

"Endogeny has proven you wrong!" Jeff yelled. "In the last war, we were able to crush the monsters, but with abominations like Endogeny running around, we wouldn't stand a chance! With enough DT, any monster can become practically invincible! Unless we do something, Earth is bound to be ruled by monsters! We need to -"

"Attack them first?" Chara spitefully asked. "Go ahead! See what happens! You said it yourself! You wouldn't stand a chance! If you humans start another war, it will only be a matter of time until a monster gets enough souls to erase every last one of you from this world!"

Jeff glared at her. "She is the Demon," he declared.'"The Demon. The one who has seen the Underground. They will return, and everything will end.' At first, I thought it might be Frisk, but now I see! It's her!"

The Prophecy of the Demon, a fairy tale made up to keep humans away from Mount Ebott. Total crap in Frisk's eyes.

"You should listen to her," Frisk said. "A war would bring countless deaths on both sides. Why waste so many lives for nothing? We don't need a war!"

"And what proof do you have?" Jeff challenged. "How can you make sure that monsters will never use human souls for destruction?"

"We'll find a cure," Frisk said. He felt like a broken record, but that was the truth. "We just need time."

"Yeah." Jeff said. "In your world, everything will be fine as long as you treat everyone nice, right?"

"N-no..."

Jeff sighed. "All I'm saying is, things were a lot simpler before the monsters showed up." He turned towards the exit. "I'm out of here. See you later, Lucas."

"Uh, sure," Lucas said.

As Jeff walked away, Chara watched him with a disgusted look in her eyes. "Good riddance," she snarled.

"I swear he's not always so nasty," Lucas insisted. "He just gets really worked up about the monsters. I think he's just scared, you know? Lots of people are getting worried about them."

Frisk nodded. "Yeah, that seems to be the recurring theme here."

"You know," Lucas said, "there's something I've been thinking about. Obviously, monsters come in a lot of different types. Skeletons, spiders, goats, dogs, slimes, and yet, they all identify as a 'monster.' If a dog and a sapient airplane can see themselves as the same race, then why not a human and a dog?"

"Well," Frisk said, "there is a critical difference. Monsters are all made mostly out of magic, while humans are entirely physical, and of course, there's the way our souls work. No matter how you look at them, nothing will change the fact that the monsters are the ones who can become powerful by absorbing humans souls."

"Then, how are we not just a special type of monster?" Lucas asked. "Why can't humans just be monsters that are physical instead of magical? Is it really that big a difference compared to everything else?"

"Interesting," Chara said. "I understand where you're coming from. However, I fear that the distinction will always exist. Humans are naturally inclined to categorize everything they can; it's in their nature. Humans and monsters are, in fact, two separate species, as it is impossible for a human and a monster to produce offspring. Still, I do hope that they will be treated as equals."

Lucas smiled at her. "I'm sorry, where are my manners? Here I am, talking hardcore sociology, and I haven't even introduced myself. So, you're Chara, right?"

Chara shifted anxiously. "Th-that is correct. I am Chara."

He held out his hand. "Hi, Chara! I'm Lucas!"

Chara shook his hand. "Charmed."

Lucas laughed. "Well, she's a lot more polite with me than with Jeff."

Frisk smiled. "She can be slow to trust strangers."

Chara bowed. "My apologizes," she said. "I will be honest. I do not think highly of humanity. However, I am trying to be convinced otherwise."

"Don't worry!" Lucas said. "I won't bite! Frisk and I are old pals!"

Chara nodded. "Yes. Frisk has spoken of you before. You were friends from middle school."

"That's right!" He looked at Frisk. "So, what brings you here?"

Frisk grinned and pulled Chara close to him. "We're on a date!"

"Wait, like, a real date?"

"Yes, like a real date!"

Lucas's blue eyes widened in shock. "Wow, Frisk is actually dating someone. I never thought I'd see the day. Chara, how did you pull this off? This dog's been barking up everyone's tree!"

Chara smirked. "Well, I guess I have a way of... getting in his head."

Frisk tried not to smile. "Oh my God, Chara."

"As soon as we met, he fell for me! We were practically soulmates!"

He failed. "Damn it, Chara!"

"If you say so," Lucas said. "Heh, I still remember how Frisk's flirting started. One of his classmates wouldn't stop giving him hell for his red eyes. 'You think you're better than us?' he'd ask, even though Frisk had never said or done anything to deserve it, nothing besides being born with a red soul. Frisk and I kept trying to calm him down, but he wouldn't have any of it. Then one day, when the kid came to pick on him yet again, Frisk winked at him and said, 'I see you can't get enough of my gorgeous red eyes. I'm so glad, because you are the apple of my eye.' The poor bastard just stared at him, jaw dropped, and he never bothered Frisk again."

Chara roared with laughter. "I can clearly see you doing that, Frisk!"

Frisk smirked. "He was kind of cute."

"Oh, I'm sorry, Frisk. Am I keeping you away from your true love?"

Frisk pinched her cheek. "Of course not. You're way cuter, and not to mention, you know, a much better person."

"Yeah," Lucas said. "I can't believe the nerve of that guy."

Frisk shrugged. "What can you do? There will always be bad people out there."

Lucas nodded. "Yeah, I know," he said. "Well, I won't keep you lovebirds from your date. See you around, Frisk, and it was nice meeting you, Chara."

"Y-yes," Chara replied. "It was nice meeting you, too."

Lucas left them to their date.

"Do you mean it, Chara?" Frisk asked. "It was nice to meet another human?"

"Yeah," Chara said. "He seems nice. He's smart, he likes monsters, and he's quite handsome as well!" She smirked. "So, you think I have a chance with him?"

Frisk playfully pushed her. "Chara! It's our first date, and you're already thinking about seeing other people?"

Chara giggled. "Yes, Frisk! I'm going to date every human that turns out to not suck!"

"Aww, is that all I am to you? A human that doesn't suck?"

Chara pulled him close and embraced him in another warm hug. "Of course not. You're much more than that. You'll always be special to me, Frisk."

Frisk felt his heart swell. "You're special to me too, Chara," he warmly replied.

Chara grabbed his hand. "Come on. I'm sure our table is ready by now."

Oh, of course! He had almost lost track of time. "Ah, yes! Let's go!"

They headed inside the restaurant.

Lyric Credits:

"You Always Hurt the One You Love"

Artist: The Mills Brothers

I heard this song while playing  Bioshock  and just had to use it. :)

Chapter Text

The new MTT Restaurant was quite a bit larger than the one back underground. The expanded space accommodated its new human patrons, and in the front of the restaurant was a large stage for Mettaton and others to give performances. Mettaton had spared no expense on it.

Frisk and Chara were seated at their table. As he'd requested, there were already two hot cups of golden flower tea on it, and the table was decorated with a candle and a golden golden flower in an elegant glass pot. How romantic! When the waitress came to take their order, they decided to share a steak. Back in the underground, monsters didn't have enough animals to serve actual meat, but here on the surface, the Steak in the Shape of Mettaton's Face was made with real beef, much to Chara's delight.

Their waitress, a cow monster, sighed. "How would you like that cooked?"

"RARE!" Chara screamed. She blushed. "U-uh... I mean, if that's okay with you, Frisk."

Frisk smiled. "Rare is good."

The waitress left to put in their order. Chara smiled back at Frisk. "So, here we are."

"Yeah..." Frisk replied. He took a sip of his tea. It was a bit hot, but it was good. Chara sipped her tea as well. "How is it?" Frisk asked.

Chara put her cup down. "It's great."

Frisk knew a lot about Chara, but there were still a few things about her he'd never found out. "Hey, Chara, why do you like golden flowers so much?"

"Hmm... I don't really know, actually," she answered. "I always liked plants, and I'd often help Father out in the garden. I loved that garden, but without the golden flowers, I felt like something was missing. I cannot say why, but for some reason, I really did miss the golden flowers from my village. They were pretty much the only good thing from that hellhole."

Frisk took another sip of his tea. "Was it really that bad?"

".Perhaps I'm not being fair," Chara admitted. "It probably wasn't so bad, provided you had the right family, but my parents... I don't think they could have loved anything that was not in a bottle and full of alcohol."

He frowned. "Sorry I asked."

Chara shook her head. "No, I'm sorry. I already broke my promise, didn't I? It is my fault for bringing it up."

Frisk had to admit, he was curious about Chara's past. This was the most that Chara had ever said about it. He didn't know if Chara would ever open up about it, but either way, now certainly wasn't the time. He wanted to keep their first date fun and lighthearted.

Chara sipped her tea. "Anyway, to answer your question, those flowers were my only source of comfort back then, so that's why I love them so much."

Frisk smiled and picked up the golden flower on the table. He reached out and offered it to Chara. "Here, your favorite flower, for my favorite person."

Frisk could have sworn he heard someone groan, but it hadn't come from Chara. Maybe it was some creep watching them, but it had sounded... close. Weird.

Chara held the golden flower and smiled. "Really? I'm your favorite person?"

"Yes, is that surprising?"

"Very. It's very surprising, but… thank you." She stroked the flower's petals. "It looks just like my brother..." Her smile turned into a frown.

Frisk frowned too. "I know. We'll help him too, somehow."

"I hope so," she said. "It's not fair. He deserves a soul much more than I do. That said…" She smiled again. "I'm so glad I have a soul again. It's being put to good use!"

Frisk smiled back. "Yeah, you can finally love people like Toriel, Asgore, Asriel, Undyne..."

She put the flower back in the pot. "I think you're forgetting someone."

"Ah, that's right!" Frisk said. "How could I forget Alphys?"

She smirked. "Surely, there must be someone else."

"Sans and Papyrus?"

"Keep going..."

"Wait, I've got it. You want to be best friends with Nora!"

She gave him a flirty smile. "Maybe I should just look at what's right in front of me..."

As Frisk tried to think of a witty comeback, Chara stood out of her seat and leaned close to him, real close. Frisk felt his cheeks grow hot. "Chara?"

She kissed him on the cheek. It was just a small peck, but it made Frisk's heart pound. He stared into her beautiful ruby eyes, entranced by her sweetness. "Chara..."

She blushed profusely, and she quickly sat back down in her chair and looked away from him. "S-s-sorry, Frisk! I couldn't help myself!"

Frisk grinned. Gosh, it was just a peck on the cheek, nothing to get worked up over. "Why are you apologizing?" he asked. "That was great!"

She slowly turned to face him again. "It... it was?"

"Yes, I did say I wanted a bit more, remember?"

Chara adorably squealed. He wanted to return the favor, but not here. He winked at her. "In fact, I may require a repeat performance when we get back home..."

Chara gave him an embarrassed smile. "V-very well, Frisk. I think I can oblige..."

Frisk was about to tell her how excited he was for that, when he heard something rumbling on the table. For no apparent reason, the flower pot on it was shaking. They both stared at the rather familiar golden flower. The shaking stopped.

"... Frisk," Chara whispered, "why do I get the feeling that the potted plant is judging us for our sins?"

Frisk gave the flower a confused frown. "But, why'd he...?"

Chara tugged on one of the flower's petals, and it yelped. "OW! Okay! Okay! You caught me!" Asriel revealed his face.

Frisk blinked. Asriel had done some horrible things to him as Flowey, but stalking them on their date? That was just… why? "What are you doing here?" Frisk asked.

"Getting sick," he quipped. "You two are even worse than Mom and Dad were! I'm going to puke!"

Chara folded her arms. "Serves you right," she said. "Those are the consequences for intruding on our date."

"How did you even get here?" Frisk asked.

Asriel smiled like he was pleased with himself. "Well..."

"HEY!" Flowey shouted at the stupid box. "Which table is Frisk and Chara's?"

Mettaton laughed. "Why, Asriel, what could you possibly need to know that for? Are you trying to eavesdrop on their date?"

"Yes!"

He drew an exclamation mark on his face and gasped. "How scandalous! Is this jealously a sense? Bitterness over a romantic rival. Classic!"

Flowey cringed. "What? No! I just need to make sure Frisk isn't doing anything weird to my sister!"

"Are you sure?" Mettaton asked. "Perhaps Chara is more to you than you realize..."

Seriously? "No!" Flowey yelled. "That's disgusting! I definitely do not have a romantic interest in my sister! Unlike those two, I'm perfectly content with being siblings!"

"Oh, I get it!" Mettaton exclaimed. "You fancy Frisk! Can't say I blame you! He's a real favorite among us monsters! He's everyone's second favorite person, really!"

"NO!"

"My, my," Mettaton purred. "I'm afraid I don't believe you, darling. After all, why wouldn't you trust Frisk? Surely, he would never do anything to harm his friends, let alone his paramour."

Oh, whatever! If Flowey had to play his game, he'd play his game! "You know what?" Flowey asked. "You're right, but it's not that I'm in love with either of them. I'm just jealous that my sister is more interested in Frisk than me."

Mettaton gave an electronic gasp. "Oh, my! Conflict rises between a young woman's brother and her newfound lover! How exciting! Alright, darling! This is probably not good business practice, and quite possibly illegal, but I just can't resist the drama!" He pointed at a certain table in the restaurant. "It's that one!"

Flowey grinned. "Great! I'll just hide right there and pretend to be a regular flower."

"A fine plan!" Mettaton said. "Good luck, jealous one!"

Flowey groaned.

While Asriel explained how he got Mettaton to help him spy on them, Chara sighed. "Damn it, Mettaton."

Frisk stared at Asriel. He still hadn't explained why he had followed them. "Are you sure you're not jealous?" Frisk asked.

"No, I'm not!" Asriel yelled unconvincingly. "Don't be ridiculous!"

"Are you sure?" Chara asked.

"Yes, I'm sure!"

"Then why are you here?" Chara persisted. "You're not actually concerned that Frisk would do anything 'weird' to me, are you?"

Asriel frowned. "I... I guess not. I just... I just wanted to come, okay? I was curious! It's the same reason I do anything! I just had to know! I had to know how this date of yours was going. Big mistake!"

Even though he had rudely spied on them, Frisk felt sorry for him."Would you have been lonely at home without us?" he asked.

"N-no! How could I be lonely? I don't have emotions!"

"Asriel, we both know that's not how it works," Frisk said. "You were lonely when you woke up without Chara, and I bet you were very lonely after you destroyed the Barrier."

Asriel frowned. "Okay... I am jealous, but not like that! It's not that I want to hook up with either of you, and it's not what I told Mettaton, either!"

"Then what is it?" Chara asked.

Asriel grimaced. "It's just... seeing you two so happy together, it frustrates me. I just... wish I could feel that way, too."

Oh...

Frisk felt an itch in his throat. "A-Asriel..."

Chara solemnly nodded in understanding. "You're jealous of our love itself, our ability to love."

Asriel nodded. "I just want to love someone. I want to love you, and I want to love Frisk. B-but… I can't..."

Chara picked Asriel up and stroked his petals. "It'll be okay, Brother."

Asriel sniffled. "I'm sorry for ruining your date."

"You didn't," Frisk assured him. "It's okay. I know what you're going through."

"I know what it's like," Chara said. "When I was attached to Frisk's soul, I could feel the emotions that resonated within him, but my own compassion was just as stunted as yours. Even when Frisk had accidentally killed Mother, I did not feel pain for her death. In fact, I felt a perverse sense of pleasure. Killing her had shot Frisk's LOVE all the way up to LV 5. That power... I am ashamed to admit how good it felt."

Frisk felt a chill in the air. God, good thing he had reset, undoing Toriel's death as well as taking his EXP back to zero. He didn't want to think what would have happened if he had fed Chara more LOVE while she was soulless.

"I know!" Flowey exclaimed. "When you're soulless, nothing feels quite as satisfying as becoming powerful! I'm so glad you understand, Chara!"

Frisk was more than a little uncomfortable with this conversation. He stretched out his arms between the two. "Okay, that's enough about that."

Chara snickered. "Aww, I'm sorry, Frisk. Are we scaring you?"

He pursed his lips. "Well, yes, to be honest."

She pat him on the shoulder. "Well, don't worry, it never happened. You understand that you are not above consequences, and for that, you have earned my undying loyalty."

Frisk laughed. "Undying loyalty, huh? Gee, you make it sound like I own you."

"I assure you that was not my intention," Chara said. "I only mean to say that I cherish our companionship."

He grinned. "Aww, me too!"

"Mmh, yeah," Asriel said. "it's a good thing you acted nice, Frisk. Because of that, you get to go on dates with Chara instead of watching her kill everyone you love."

Frisk and Chara both stared at him, eyes wide in shock. Asriel shrugged. "What? It's probably true."

"... well, we need not be reminded," Chara said.

Frisk nodded. "Yeah, that."

"Uh, sorry?" Asriel said. "I didn't mean to..." He reached out a vine. "Oh, look! Your food is here!"

With excellent timing, their food finally arrived, delivered by Mettaton himself. He was currently in his standard box form. He held a covered plate high and brought it to their table. "Hello, darlings! I see the prince couldn't maintain his cover!"

"Yeah…" Frisk said, giving Mettaton an accusing stare. Chara gave him one of those creepy – but cute! – smiles of hers.

Mettaton laughed shamelessly. "What? Wasn't this a thrilling twist of events?"

"Just give us our steak," Chara ordered.

"Oh, eager, are we? Very well!" Mettaton put the steak on their table. "Here you are! Freshly imprinted with my glorious face!"

Frisk thought Chara was going to drool as she looked at it. "Oooooh, Frisk... it looks so good..."

He looked at it. As the name implied, the steak was shaped like box, with an indentation resembling Mettaton's standard face. He wasn't sure how he felt about that, but the meat itself looked delicious. He smiled. "Yeah, it does."

"Don't forget the knives," Chara reminded Mettaton.

"Patience, Chara!" he replied. "My! Your soul color is certainly not light blue!" Mettaton gave them their forks and knives. "Enjoy! And keep an eye on the stage!" Mettaton rolled away.

"Well," Frisk said. "He looks excited about something." He looked at Chara and smiled. "And so do you."

Chara had already cut into the steak. She took a bite. "Frisk!" she yelled with a full mouth. "It's perfect! Try it!" She forked another piece and thrust it at him.

"Oh, come on," Asriel groaned. "You're feeding him? That's so… ugh."

Frisk ignored Asriel's ridicule and bit the steak off of Chara's fork. It was quite good. Although, Frisk would've preferred it to be a bit more cooked, at least a nice medium-rare, warm red center instead of pure rare, but Chara seemed to love it, and that made Frisk happy.

Chara could tell what he was thinking. "You'd like it cooked more, wouldn't you?"

"Yeah," Frisk admitted. "But this is good too."

"Well, we can have it cooked however you want it next time!"

Frisk smiled. "Thanks, Chara."

Chara looked at Asriel bittersweetly. As a flower, Asriel could only eat magical food, and their steak was physical. Sadly, Chara couldn't offer him a piece. "I wish you could try this," she lamented.

"Hey, don't mind me," Asriel said. "I'll just go back to being a regular flower now, and I'll try not to spew out magical flower vomit. Trust me, that's not something you want to see." Asriel made his face disappear.

"Poor Asriel," Frisk said

Chara nodded sadly. "Yeah..."

Frisk kept giving her a cheerful smile. "Hey, why don't we check in with Alphys tomorrow? Maybe she's got a lead by now."

"Why?" Chara asked. "She's just going to tell us the same thing, get a monster soul."

"You never know," Frisk said. "At the very least, it'd be nice to say 'hi.'"

Chara sighed. "You're so hopeful, Frisk." She smiled. "All right. I won't lose hope, either."

"Heh, that's the spirit."

They continued eating their steak. As they did, the lights dimmed, and a spotlight shined on the restaurant's stage.

"Beauties and gentlebeauties!" Mettaton announced. "I, Mettaton, am honored to host a special word from the King of Monsters, Asgore Dreemurr!"

Asgore walked onto the stage. Every monster in the room fell silent, and even the humans were awed by the presence of a king.

"Father?" Chara whispered. "This... is not what I expected."

Yeah, Frisk was expecting something glorifying Mettaton, not… whatever this was.

Asgore cleared his throat. "Howdy!" he greeted. "So… it has been quite the week, has it not?"

The patrons murmured in agreement.

Asgore solemnly nodded. "Humans… I am deeply sorry for the accident that almost occurred. I owe Frisk an incredible debt. He's the one who stopped me from going to war, and he has helped prevent war once again."

Frisk wondered if he was being glorified too much. He was glad to have inspired them, but they had to keep in mind that he was just one person. He knew that his time powers gave him the ability to play God, but that didn't mean he was God. He couldn't be the only reason why they trusted humanity. Chara had confessed to having the same problem herself; they had to find other reasons to trust humans.

Asgore continued. "I hope you can believe me when I say that we monsters do not take such matters lightly. We know you fear our ability to absorb your souls. It may not be enough to convince you, but we loathe this horrible power ourselves.

"However, as you all know, I once conspired to use this power. After my son Asriel… turned to dust, I vowed to kill every human that fell underground, use their power to destroy the Barrier, and… take the surface back from humanity. I never wanted power. I just wanted my people to have hope. I wish I could say there was no other way, but… I do not know if that's true. I promised to wield the power we all hated, and to become the reason why humans drove us underground. I was wrong to even suggest that. I hope that no monster ever acquires seven human souls. That… is something that should never have to be done."

Little did he know that Asriel had already done it. Well, the equivalent anyway, which only made it worse…

Frisk heard Chara's breathing grow heavy. "S-stupid," she muttered. "I'm so stupid."

He reached out and held her hand. "No, you're not."

"F-Frisk…"

"And," Asgore continued, "as we have all recently found out, someone else conspired to wield this power before me, and she almost succeeded."

Chara gasped.

"My own daughter, Chara."

What? Frisk didn't understand. Why was he calling her out?

A painful expression was on Asgore's face. "When I first learned of it, I was… deeply disturbed. I took Chara into my family, and because of her actions… my son… well, he's a flower now."

"F-Father," Chara sobbed quitely. "I… I'm…"

Asgore, what are you…?

"However," Asgore said. "I cannot bring myself to hate her. She may not have believed it herself, but Chara was the first one to make me believe that humans and monsters could have a future. Her friendship with Asriel, and the look of hope in her eyes, filled me with hope. Even after what happened to my son, I must still thank her for that."

Chara wiped a tear from her eye. "Oh, Father…"

"And," Asgore said, "that was long ago. Chara has changed since then, and so has humanity. While many of you still fear us, many of you also look back on the war with disgust. At the very least, you made sure not to forget what happened to my son. As for my fellow monsters, please do not give in to despair. Forget everything I said all those years ago about my plan to 'take the surface back.' I am confident that we have all learned from our history, and I still believe that we have a future. Not as humans and monsters, but as… people."

Yes, that was it, wasn't it? They just had to believe humanity had learned, that they wouldn't make the same mistakes a second time.

Sans joined Asgore on the stage. "So, what our king is trying to say is: Don't steal human souls. Capiche?"

Everyone laughed at the needed break in tension.

Asgore smiled. "Yes, do not do that. If any of you have such thoughts in your head… stop it."

'Any of you' meaning Boaris…

"Humans, I know it has not been easy, but thank you for allowing us to live among you." Asgore bowed and left the stage. His departure was followed by applause from all around the room, from both humans and monsters.

"Wow," Chara breathed. "Asgore's amazing."

"Yeah," Frisk agreed. "Asriel, aren't you proud of him?"

"Yeah," he said. "Asriel would be proud."

Frisk frowned. "Asri... I mean, if you really don't want me to call you that, I won't."

Asriel didn't say anything. He just stared into space, oblivious to the outside world. Frisk tugged on his petals. "H-hey, I'm sorry, okay? Just tell me what's wrong."

Asriel continued to ignore him. Frisk felt a pit in his stomach. What was going on in Asriel's head?

Flowey couldn't take it anymore.

He was so tired of it. He was so tired of being a flower. He was so tired of being surrounded by all these emotions, and not being able to share them. He was so tired of not being able to care about Frisk. He was so tired of not being able to care about Chara. No more. No more! Flowey was done being Flowey! It was time to stop whining and do something about it! He was going to be strong, like Chara!

Sometime before he met Frisk, Flowey had tried something to cure himself. He'd absorbed Toriel's soul. It didn't work. He had the soul, but without seven human soul's worth of DT, he couldn't bind his essence to it. It still belonged to Toriel. If he'd just had enough DT, he could've truly stolen it from her, but here on the surface, humans had plenty of the stuff. Here on the surface, he could steal a boss monster's soul and become Asriel again.

Now, killing Toriel or Asgore wasn't an option. Frisk and Chara would never allow it, and Asriel would never forgive him for it. But fortunately, there was someone who didn't deserve his soul. a truly grotesque boss monster. Not only did this monster want to commit genocide against the human race, he also had the nerve to condemn Chara for it even though he wanted the same damn thing. If there was anything that pissed Flowey off, it was hypocrisy.

Yes, he was going to do it. He was going to kill him.

He was going to kill Boaris.

Chapter Text

Frisk and Chara returned home in high spirits. Their date had been wonderful. They had talked, they had joked, and they had simply enjoyed spending time together. As they approached Toriel's doorstep, Chara smiled at Frisk and reached out her hand. He took it, intertwining his fingers with hers, and they walked inside.

Toriel greeted them in the foyer. "Welcome back!" She giggled. "Did you enjoy your date?"

"We did!" Chara exclaimed. "Frisk is such a sweetheart, and the dinner was great, too. This was by far the best night I've had since my resurrection."

Frisk's heart was warmed to hear that. He smiled. "I'm glad you enjoyed yourself as much as I did."

Toriel laughed. "Aww, how sweet. You sound like a real couple."

Right, Toriel still hadn't realized they were serious. Frisk spoke up to correct her. "Umm, actually..."

Chara smirked. "Although, there was an unexpected stowaway." She pointed at Asriel, who had followed them inside. "This little scoundrel decided to join us for our romantic evening, but we didn't mind."

"I wish I hadn't," Asriel said. "These two are insufferable together."

"Ah, I am certain it was not so bad," Toriel said. "Well, I know how much of a flirt Frisk can be, but still, I have decided that it is more endearing than anything."

"Uh, yeah," Frisk said. He glanced at Chara, and he whispered to her. "Hey, are you ready to... let her know?"

Chara hesitated for a moment, but she nodded. "Yes, she needs to know sooner or later."

Frisk focused his gaze on Toriel. "Uh, I had a really good time with Chara."

"So you said," Toriel replied.

"And, I like her," Frisk awkwardly went on. "I really like her, Toriel."

She smiled ignorantly. "Yes, I am aware. You care for her as much as Asriel."

Frisk cringed and shook his head. "I'm sorry, but I don't think you're getting it. Y-you see, I... I'm actually interested in her. Do you understand? Chara and I... we are serious about this whole dating thing."

As Toriel stared back at him, her eyes slowly widened. "You... you are serious?" She looked at Chara. "Is this true, my child? Your feelings for Frisk are that strong?"

Chara's whole face was red, but she kept her eyes locked with Toriel's. "Y-yes," Chara said. "Frisk and I wish to be... more than friends. I am aware that our situation is a little... unorthodox, but Frisk is special to me. I have already developed an intimate bond with him, and the thought of being his lover fills me with joy. I... I hope that you will give us your blessing."

"… goodness," Toriel said quietly. "That is… I can hardly…"

Chara's whole body was shaking, and Frisk wasn't faring much better. He quivered as he looked at Toriel. "A-are you okay with this?"

Toriel's eyes shifted. "W-well, I must say that it is not what I was expecting. I had thought that you two would become more like siblings than... lovers."

Frisk grimaced. She hated it. She hated it! She thought they were disgusting, didn't she?

Toriel gasped. "No, it is all right!" she exclaimed. "It is just... are you both certain this is what you want?"

"Yes," Frisk answered. "Nothing would make me happier."

Chara nodded. "I am certain. He means so much to me, and I want us to grow even closer."

"In that case," Toriel said, "if this truly is what you both want, then... I am happy for you."

Relief washed over both Frisk and Chara. They both beamed, and Chara hugged her. "Thank you, Mother! Thank you! I'll be good to Frisk! I promise!"

Frisk joined in. "Chara and I have been through so much together. Ever since we met, she's always been there for me, and I want to make her happy. I know she made some mistakes, but deep inside, she's a beautiful person, even if she doesn't always realize it."

"Oh, Frisk…" Chara said. "You're… you're too good for this world."

Toriel smiled. "This is a surprise to me, but I am certain that you two will make a fine couple. Perhaps one day, Frisk will be my son-in-law!"

He gave her an embarrassed laugh. "Yeah, here's hoping."

Chara smirked at him. "Lucky you, marrying into the royal family."

"You're one to talk," Frisk countered.

She giggled. "I know; I am the lucky one."

He smiled. "We both are."

Toriel turned to face Asriel. "And what do you think of this, my child? Do you approve of your sister's relationship?"

"I mean, sure?" Asriel said. "They're gross, but I don't really have a problem with it. If they want to be weird, let them be weird."

Frisk chuckled. "Well-said."

"Then, I suppose the matter is settled," Toriel said. She smiled and pat Frisk on the head. "You will treat my daughter well, will you not?"

"I will," Frisk promised.

"And I, him," Chara vowed. "I hope we will make each other smile for a long time."

Toriel laughed. "You two sound like you were taken right out of a romantic storybook. Well, if you wish, I will give you some privacy."

Frisk yawned. "Yeah, I'm pretty tired. I'll be in my room if you need me."

"All right," Toriel said. "Good luck on your relationship."

"Thank you, Toriel."

Happy that Toriel approved, Frisk walked to his room, and he felt Chara tug on his arm. "Umm, if you don't mind," Chara said, "I'd like to spend just a bit more time with you."

How could Frisk refuse? He smiled. "Of course!"

They went inside Frisk's room. Chara closed the door and smiled seductively. "So, Frisk… you said that you require a 'repeat performance,' did you not?"

Frisk felt butterflies in his stomach. Chara wanted to kiss him? It was a dream come true. After so many months fantazing over this moment, it was actually happening! He grinned. "Oh, I see... well, don't keep me waiting…"

Chara approached him, slowly, teasingly. She tried to put on a confident, seductive face, but Frisk could tell from her quivering legs that she was just as flustered as he was. Finally, she wrapped her arms over his shoulder, closed her eyes, and gave him another warm kiss on the cheek. Frisk blushed and looked into her beautiful red eyes. His heart was racing. He wanted her to know exactly how he felt about her.

"Ch-Chara, may I… kiss you? I mean, like..." He brushed his finger against her lips.

Chara let out a quiet gasp, but she nodded. "Yes, Frisk. I'd… I'd love to kiss you…"

Frisk closed his eyes. He started with a simple kiss on her cheek… and then he pressed his lips against Chara's. She whimpered at their first contact. Worried, Frisk immediately broke the kiss. "Are you okay?"

"S-sorry, Frisk," she apologized. "It's just… I never thought I'd feel this way about anyone."

Frisk still felt worried. He still knew very little about her past, but he could gather that it was difficult for Chara to trust him so completely. He had no idea what kind of trauma she may have suffered... oh, God... what if someone had raped her? Was even a simple kiss too much for her?

He calmed himself with a deep breath. Right now, he had to be strong for her. He gave her his warmest smile and caressed her cheek. "It's alright; it's just me."

Chara smiled back. "R-right, it's you."

Frisk's heart kept pounding, Was it too soon to tell her that he loved her? Well, they were kissing, weren't they? Maybe they were moving a little fast, but it felt right. He whispered to her with all his heart. "I love you, Chara."

Chara's mouth opened wide in shock, but then she smiled happily. "I love you too, Frisk."

She closed her eyes and leaned back in, and Frisk felt Chara's warm and soft lips against his. He held her tight and kissed back slowly. Soon, they both began to feel comfortable and melted into the kiss. Frisk was surprised how good it felt. He loved being so close with Chara. He loved the feeling of her warm arms and tender lips. Frisk could feel all of Chara's passion with every kiss she gave him, and he kissed back with all of his passion. It was intoxicating.

They kissed for a while longer before pulling apart. With deep breaths, they opened their eyes, staring at each other with eyes drunk on love. "Frisk," Chara whispered. "I... I can't believe we just made out!"

He laughed. "Me neither... did you like it?"

"God, yes," Chara said. "That was amazing."

"A-are you sure? It wasn't too fast for you?"

With a smile, Chara shook her head."Not at all. On the contrary, I believe it was long overdue."

He smiled back. "I know what you mean."

"Frisk... thank you for that."

He winked. "Thank you, Chara."

Her eyes shifted nervously. "So... does this make us... a couple now?"

Heh, was that even a question at this point? "Well," Frisk said, "we just went out on a fancy date, confessed our love to each other, and had a nice make out session. What do you think?"

She snickered. "I guess that's true, but just to be clear, may I... call you my boyfriend?"

"That depends," Frisk said. "Would it make you happy?"

"It would," Chara said.

He gave her another kiss on the cheek. "Then, I guess that settles it."

Chara's cheeks flushed once more. "All right, boyfriend and girlfriend it is."

Frisk yawned. "Well, I'm really tired now. See you tomorrow." He took his shoes off and collapsed on the couch.

Chara smiled at him. "Oh, come on, Frisk! Use your bed for once!"

"Nope, I've grown quite attached to this couch."

"You're too nice, Frisk!"

"Don't you like my bed?"

"Yes, it's nice, but…" She smirked. "It'd be a lot nicer with you there…"

Frisk laughed. "Okay, now that's a bit too... frisky for now." He gave her another wink. Though, he had to admit, the thought of falling asleep in Chara's loving arms did sound nice…

"Aww, come on, Frisk. I don't see a problem with it. I just wanna cuddle, that's all."

"Nah, I don't think our relationship has progressed far enough for that."

"Nonsense! We must seize the day while we're still young! Capre diem!"

"We're fourteen!"

"Well," Chara said, "I'm actually fifteen if you count the year I spent in your head."

"Ah, yes," Frisk said. "You were older than me at first, but I passed you!"

"Yes, you sure took your time. However, I'm over a hundred if you count time when I was dead!"

Frisk looked at her seriously. "Were you… awake back then?"

"… partially," she answered. "I do have memories of being in my coffin, and being moved to the Ruins, but time didn't flow normally for me. It didn't feel like I was there for anywhere near a hundred years. I wasn't fully awake until you fell on top of me."

"Oh… that's good, I guess. Heh, I'm so glad I fell into those flowers."

She smiled. "Yeah…"

Frisk laid back down on the couch. "Well, goodnight, Chara."

"Night, Frisk… my love…"

He smiled, and he drifted off to sleep.

Freaking sickos...

Flowey crawled over Chara as she slept. She looked so peaceful. Flowey had used to have a lot of fun waking people in their sleep, seeing them suddenly wake up with wide eyes as they realized they were being strangled to death... ah, good stuff! But of course, that wasn't on the table right now. No, Flowey was just here to leave a message. He held the note he had written and placed it on the nightstand.

Before he left, he took another look and Chara and Frisk. See you soon, I hope.

He left the room.

It was another one of her parents' boring dinners with the Millers.

As usual, they were going on about how dangerous monsters were and some weird science stuff that had something to do with alternate realities or whatever. Well, when she put it that way, it sounded kind of cool, but those two scientists just droned on and on about every little detail. 'DT this, quantum entanglement that.' Felicia didn't understand how her parents had the patience to listen to all that.

At least the food was nice. Being the daughter of the President did have its perks. Their official home was staffed by some of the best chefs in the West. Her parents liked their meats, especially fish. The table was lined with steaks, tuna, mackerel, and an eastern fish called 'fugu.' For drinks, there were hot cups of golden flower tea and red wine for the adults.

With absolutely no interest in the adults' boring conversation, Felicia took out her phone and started reading one of her books about monsters. It was a collection of ancient legends once thought to be mere myth, but after murdering that innocent goat, everyone knew that at least some of the stories were true. Felicia choose a legend and started reading…

Long ago, when humans and monsters lived in peace, a human and a monster were in love. The two spent years together. They were everything to each other, but one day, the human grew old and began to die. The monster, however, did not age, for she was a boss monster. As the human laid on his deathbed, the monster vowed to take her own life to stay with him, but the human shook his head, and with his dying breath, told her to live on. The human perished. His red SOUL hovered above his body. Entranced by her lover's floating heart, the monster discovered her power to absorb human souls. She transformed into a horrible beast with incredible power. Both humans and monsters were shocked when they saw her. No one had ever heard of such a power.

With that power, a dark thought entered the monster's mind. She'd already become extraordinarily powerful with just one soul, but what if she got more? Perhaps if she absorbed more human souls, she'd have the power to bring her lover back to life! Driven mad by her power and grief, she killed five more humans with her deadly axe. She felt her power increase dramatically as she absorbed each soul. With just one more, she thought, she'd have the power to save the human.

But then, from within their combined soul, the human called out to the monster. He pleaded with her to stop. He told her that he wasn't worth the innocent lives she had taken. He told her that he loved her, but it was time for him to go. The monster wouldn't listen. She had to have him back! It wasn't fair! Why was she granted eternal life when he was doomed to his mortal fate? To hell with fate! She was going to make her own fate! She was filled with determination! She and the human would be together forever!

The human told her that he wasn't going to let her become a monster. His soul grew heavy, but working with the other five souls, he took control of his lover's body. He gripped his lover's axe and plunged it deep into her chest. As her body turned to dust, the monster got what she wished for, to die with the human she loved.

And so, the world learned the terrible power of the SOUL.

Nate leaned over Felicia's shoulder. "Ooh, what'cha reading?" Nate inquired.

"O-oh, j-just… some old legends…" she answered.

"Does it have swords in it?" Nora asked.

"W-well… there's an axe in it."

"Eeh, that's okay, I guess."

Nate skimmed the text and laughed. "You and your monsters!"

Felicia sniffled. "Y-yeah…"

"Hey, are you okay?" Nate asked.

He didn't understand. "Nate, you don't understand. The feels, Nate. The feels…"

He smiled. "Oh, you're saying that book is sad or something."

Felicia gigged and shook his shoulders. "You can't possibly understand the feels!"

Nate laughed. "All right! All right! I get it!"

Jacob laughed with them, and even Nora smiled. It was hard to get a smile out of Nora, but when she did, it lit up the whole room.

"Children…" Father called out. "Please try not to shout."

"Right, sorry Father," Felicia apologized.

"Oh, right!" Nate exclaimed. "We're sorry for having fun, Mr. Malcom!" he sardonically said, earning punitive stares from his own parents. Nate laughed shamelessly.

Father sighed and returned his attention to the Millers. "I'm sorry, you were saying?"

Nate's father, John Miller, nodded. "Basically, we've detected some kind of anomaly, for lack of a better word, in the timespace continuum."

"At first, it appears to be a highly active World Master," Nate's mother, Eva Miller, added. "At a certain point, all timelines experience a massive spike in SAVE and RESET activity. They shift, start, and stop at a rapid pace. Judging by particular trends, we've estimated that our timeline will reach this spike in just thirty years."

"But that's not the worst part," John said. His tone was grave. "Some of these timelines… do more than just jump around. They do more than just… stop. These timelines do not rest. In these timelines…"

"… everything ends," Eva finished.

Mother's blue eyes widened. "So, what you're saying is, in three decades… our entire world may be destroyed."

John and Eva nodded, their light blue eyes filled with dread.

"It's still in theory," John said.

"But very possible," Eva affirmed.

Okay… Felicia was now interested in their boring discussion. Jacob, Nate, and Nora were listening as well.

"Hmm…" Father's orange eyes stared into deep space. "It's… just like the Prophecy. The Prophecy of the Demon."

"Oh, come now," Nora interjected. "You're seriously bringing up that fairy tale? Don't get me wrong. Despite what Felicia thinks, no human should go anywhere near Mount Ebott, but let's be honest, that 'prophecy' is just to scare us away from the underground."

"Perhaps," John admitted.

"But it is disturbingly similar," Eva said.

John stared at Felicia. "Thirty years… within that timeframe, Felicia could very well still be the World Master."

Mother gritted her teeth. "Do not say that about my daughter."

… thank you, Mother. She and her parents didn't always see eye-to-eye, but Felicia knew that they still loved her.

"The Demon," Eva recited. "The one who has seen the underground. They will return, and everything will end. In other words, any human who finds the monsters may bring destruction. You don't need a psychic or a scientist to make that prediction."

"Did I not make it clear?" Mother growled. "Felicia is not a demon."

"And we're not saying that," John said. "However, she has some very dangerous ideas in her head."

Mother sighed. "You're not wrong."

"Umm," Jacob cut in. "I don't really know if the monsters are good or bad people, but I do know my sister is a good person."

"Aw!" Nate exclaimed. "You're a good brother, Jacob!"

Jacob laughed. "Thanks."

"It's not about whether she's a good person," Father said. "It's about a simple, indisputable fact: The monsters are dangerous." He stared at Felicia intensely. "Felicia, say whatever you want about how wrong we are, say whatever you want about how cruel we are, but promise me… you won't go anywhere near that mountain."

Felicia looked her father in the eyes. "I can't make that promise."

Like just about every time monsters were brought up in this household, the whole room became awkwardly quiet. Father just stared angrily, and Mother rested her head on the table. Nora looked at Felicia like she insane, and Jacob nervously sipped his tea.

"I hate this," Nate whispered to her.

"Yeah," she whispered back. "I wish we could just be a happy family, but I just can't agree with them. It doesn't matter what they say, these monsters deserve freedom."

Nate smiled. "Felicia, has anyone ever told you that you're an… interesting child?"

She smiled back. "Oh, yeah."

Jacob coughed, loudly.

"You okay, Brother?" Felicia asked.

"Y-yeah," he answered… only to cough even harder. He covered his mouth, and when he held out his hand… it was covered in red. Drenched in it.

What the fuck?!

Felicia gaped in horror. Where the hell had this come from? She didn't need a medical license to know that suddenly coughing up that much blood was unnatural and dangerous. "J-Jacob, what's happening?"

He coughed up even more blood. "I-I don't know!"

Nate turned pale when he saw him. "Oh, God! Guys, Jacob needs help!"

Nora laughed it off. "Oh, Jacob's a big kid! He'll be fine!"

Mother quickly ran over to Jacob and held him. "Jacob? How long have you been sick?"

"I… I h-haven't…" Jacob leaned over vomited blood. It splattered all over the floor.

"O-oh…" Nora wasn't laughing anymore. "That… does look bad…"

Felicia held him along with Mother. "Brother! Hold on! We'll get help!"

Father whipped out his phone and dialed emergency services, speaking frantically to the dispatcher. Meanwhile, everyone else watched Jacob in horror as his condition continued to rapidly deteriorate.

"Jacob!" Mother screeched. "You're going to be okay! Do you hear me?!"

"It's bad!" Father yelled. "Shut up and send an ambulance, now!"

Jacob's body started… convulsing. No... he couldn't have been…

Jacob looked at her with dying eyes. "S-Sister…"

His soul shattered instantly. Felicia felt its red shards scatter across her body. His body went limp in her arms. Felicia let go and stared at her brother's blood on her hands.

Father dropped his phone, his mouth wide open in shock.

Mother shook her son's lifeless body, tears streaming down her face. "Jacob! JACOB!"

Felicia sobbed. What the fuck was that? How could Jacob just die so suddenly? Why? Why did he have to die like that? It wasn't fair. He'd done nothing to deserve it. It was wrong. Nothing about it was right.

She heard Nate cry too. "Jacob…"

Nora comforted her brother. "Oh, Nate… please don't cry."

"Don't cry?! Jacob just died right in front of us!"

"It'll be okay. Felicia's the World Master, remember?"

R-right…

Yes, Felicia could save him. Jacob was just a simple reset away from being alive again. But, how did he die? What kind of illness killed someone so suddenly?

Mother's tearful face dissolved into pure hatred. Her blue eyes glared at the Millers with rage. "This was no illness. This was POISON!" She shook her finger at them. "YOU killed him! And you tried to kill Felicia! You were so scared of my daughter that you decided to murder her, but you fucked it up and killed Jacob instead!"

"How?!" John challenged. "This is your home!"

"One of you killed your own child!" Eva accused.

"We would never -"

As the adults bickered furiously, Felicia looked at Nora. What if…?

Nora put her hands up. "Whoa, whoa! I know I like to give you a hard time, but murder?! I… I wouldn't…"

Felicia frowned. "Sorry, Nora. You do give me a hard time, but I know you mean well."

"P-please, Felicia," Nate sobbed. "Go back. Stop this from happening."

"I don't know who did this," Nora said, "but whoever it is, you can stop them, Felicia. Don't let them get away with this."

Mother and Father were right. It had to be either John or Eva, or both. It couldn't have been her parents. They would never try to kill her. They loved her. They wouldn't… right?

But, if it was the Millers, what were they trying to accomplish, knowing Felicia could reset? What was the killer trying to accomplish? Who was it, really? Maybe it was Nora. Maybe she was lying to her. God, for all she knew, Nate was the killer.

Who killed him?! Who was lying? Who hated her so much that they wanted her dead?

She was going to go back. She was going to save Jacob, and find out for sure who killed him. Whoever it was, they were going to regret the nonexistent day they pissed off a World Master.

Felicia reset.

Flowey infiltrated Boaris's home. The monster was in his study, typing on his oversized computer keyboard. Flowey crawled on top of a bookshelf and quietly observed him.

Flowey wasn't an idiot. He knew that if he just flat-out murdered him, he'd be arrested for it. Ha! Arrested! For killing him! If he got caught, perhaps he could worm his way out of it on insanity, like Endogeny. After all, he was definitely very insane. Indeed, he wasn't even Asriel. He was Flowey. Asriel couldn't be convicted for a crime Flowey had committed, right?

Although, even if he didn't get sentenced, there was no doubt that Malcom, that bastard, would try to spin it as yet another reason why monsters couldn't be trusted. 'Look at this soulless creature!' he'd cry. 'He's so devoid of empathy that he killed one of his own kind! How long do you think it'll be until another one is created by someone like that insane Doctor Alphys?' Flowey hated that guy. For people like him, the world really was kill or be killed.

It was best not to get caught. Ideally, Flowey would make Boaris's death look like an accident. He'd done that on more than one occasion back underground. Flowey's dark mind giggled with glee as he thought of all the glorious ways Boaris could meet his end. Maybe he'd unfortunately fall off a bridge. Golly! They really should have reinforced those safety rails! Or, maybe someone would crash into his car. Gosh! Didn't they see the red light? What? It was green? How strange!

As for why Flowey just happened to turn into Asriel right after Boaris's untimely demise… well, Flowey supposed he'd have to endure just a bit longer. As long as he waited a bit, Alphys could make up some crazy science stuff that no one understands anyway about how she created an artificial SOUL or something. That gave her plenty of time to order the DT needed, if she didn't have it already.

In any case, there was no need to rush. For now, Flowey just needed to observe and wait for his opportunity. He was going to learn every little habit this miserable creature had. Flowey never took much of an interest to him back underground. He was just 'Boring Boaris.' He'd killed him before, but it was never satisfying. Boaris always just sort of… accepted it. Flowey could never get him to scream, or beg, or call for help, or anything fun! He always just closed his eyes and embraced death. Even while dying, he was such a stick in the mud!

But that didn't matter now. This time, Flowey wasn't killing him for entertainment. He just needed that soul.

Flowey sat on that bookshelf for quite some time. Boaris was as boring as ever! Flowey watched him for an hour, and Boaris never once got out of his chair. Flowey wished he could take a look at his computer screen and see what was so damn interesting, but that was too risky. Boaris might have seen him if he tried. If only he was still in control of the timeline.

Eventually, something finally happened. There was a knock on the front door. Boaris left. A few moments later, he returned with visitors, none other than President Malcom himself. That Nora woman was with him, acting as a bodyguard.

"Yes," Boaris said. "Asgore is really causing trouble. I can't believe I ever listened to that old fool."

Malcom nodded. "Indeed, but let's get to the point. I think it's about time we stop playing around and show everyone just how powerful monsters truly are."

Whoa, what are they talking about?

Boaris nodded, but he did not speak.

"Everything all right?" Malcom asked.

"I understand if you don't trust me," Boaris said. "That's what this is all about, after all. You don't trust us, and I understand that. I expect that. I'm counting on that. Asgore… he was right the first time. Escaping was pointless. We should have just stayed underground, where it was safe for us both."

Wait, what?

"But, you didn't always feel that way, did you?" Malcom asked.

Boaris shook his head solemnly. "No. When Asgore announced his plan to destroy humanity, I was among the first to cheer for him. Back then, I was still blinded by my hatred for your people, but two-thousand years is a long time. Like the rest of my kind, meeting Frisk was a sobering moment, and after returning here, I was quickly reminded that humans aren't all that different from us. Yes, you may hate, you may fight, but you also love in equal measure. You… don't deserve to be destroyed."

WHAT?!

"My sister would have been proud of you," Malcom said. "But at the same time, disappointed."

"Asgore is no better now," Boaris said. "It's too dangerous for our races to live together. My people refuse to admit it, but both of us were better off when we were sealed away."

Boaris… wanted monsters to go back? He thought they were better off back down there? Well… maybe he had a point. Asriel himself had said that the surface wasn't as nice as the underground, but...

No… no! Chara had given up her own life to get monsters back on the surface, and Asriel had died too! Asgore killed six humans and forever lost Toriel so monsters could rule the surface, and Frisk died so many times to finally destroy it. Everyone had fought so hard to escape the underground, and now Boaris wanted them to go back? He wanted to erase everything they'd worked for? He… he was a TRAITOR! Flowey hated him even more! He needed to DIE!

Nora gasped.

"Yes, that's what we're fighting for," Malcom said. "Now, I just need you to -"

"Sir!" Nora interrupted. "I sense one enemy presence."

Huh?

Nora looked up, straight at Flowey.

Spotted? Fine! He could take a couple of humans! Flowey sent his energy bullets flying straight at Nora. He felt a perverse satisfaction as the hot energy closed in on its target.

But, the bullets disappeared in a white wall of light. It was the classic defense spell, Barrier. Damn it, Nora was a mage. A fight with a human mage was not going to be easy, but Flowey could handle it. He had beaten Sans, after all.

Boaris summoned his axe. "Asriel? I never took you for an assassin. Yet, something seems… oddly familiar about it."

Flowey had never seen him summon his axe before. He'd never… fought back.

Nora waved him away. "Stay out of this. I'll take care of him."

"Very well," Boaris said, but he kept his axe ready.

Malcom, clearly not a fighter, backed away into a corner, trembling like a pathetic coward.

Nora drew her katana… wait, a katana? Wasn't it a longsword last time? Whatever. From atop his bookshelf, Flowey swung a vine at Nora's side. Nora sliced the vine in half like an actual samurai. Flowey winced. It hurt.

Nora scoffed. "I know you're soulless and all, but murder? Does Frisk know about this?"

"Shut up!" Flowey shot more bullets at her.

She dashed aside without breaking a sweat. "Some prince you are, Asriel."

"My name's not Asriel! My name is Flowey!"

"Flowey...?" Nora laughed harshly. "Oh, I see. You just can't be Asriel without your soul, so you've come to steal someone else's."

"Pretty much!" Flowey ensnared one of her legs with a vine. Nora held out her empty hand and sent a stream of fire racing towards it. He retracted it immediately. He knew what it felt like to burn.

"You know, Flowey," Nora said, "my parents are pretty big DT scientists, and they've been talking about you. They say you'd need the equivalent of a red soul's determination to survive, which could potentially make you a World Master."

"Shut up!" Flowey slapped a vine across her face.

Nora smiled, with blood dripping down her lips. "A little while before Frisk became the World Master, someone else had control of the timeline, someone was World Master after Jacob and before Frisk. Jacob was almost driven to madness trying to find out who it was. They reset more times than he cared to count, but no matter how hard he looked, he couldn't find anyone else who remembered everything."

"I said shut up!" Flowey tried to whip her again, but Nora grabbed the vine and set it on fire. He screamed. He would've rather fought Sans than burn. Retracting the vine would've spread the flame, so he used a thorn to sever it from himself.

Nora laughed, and she knocked down the bookshelf Flowey was on. He fell to the ground. She looked down at him. "This mysterious World Master, that was you, wasn't it?"

Nora thrust her sword down at him. Flowey rolled out of the way and sprouted his legs. Her sword cut through the floor and splintered it.

Nora giggled, like a psychopath. She was enjoying this way too much, and that was saying something coming from Flowey. She pulled her sword out of the floor and pointed it at him. "So, Flowey, how many people have you killed? How many times have you killed them?"

Flowey screamed, and he shot a hailstorm of thorns at her. Nora cast a barrier, and Flowey grabbed her from behind and threw her into the wall. Her barrier faded, and he sent more thorns straight into her body. Her MP uniform was stained with small spots of her blood all over. She fell to her knees.

"N-Nora!" Malcom fearfully called out.

She got back up, laughing. She was insane! "I can tell you've done this a lot… Asriel."

"Don't call me that!" Flowey slammed a large vine down at her. She jumped out of the way.

"Flowey… Asriel… it's a matter of perspective," Nora said. "You know what I think of your perspective?" Nora's katana disappeared, and from her dimensional box, she summoned two longswords.

Dual swords? Seriously? That was so Anime!

Nora lunged at him. She swung both of her swords at him at dizzying speed. He couldn't dodge every strike. Flowey cried out in pain at every cut.

"You're a coward!"

Nora finished the attack with a hard kick to Flowey's face. He was sent flying backwards into the wall. His whole flower body writhed in pain, only being kept together by his determination, but it wouldn't hold out against more attacks like that.

Flowey groaned. "D-didn't anyone ever tell you that Anime isn't real?"

Nora grinned. She struck Flowey again and sent him flying into another wall. "I MAKE Anime real!"

He forced himself back on his magic-powered feet. He tried to ignore what she had said, but her words kept echoing in his mind.

You're a coward!

Was that... true? Was it cowardly to call himself 'Flowey?' To blame his sins on an alter ego?

"Yes," Nora said as if reading him. "You're a coward. You hide behind your fake name, because you can't accept that Asriel is responsible for what you've done, but do you really think calling yourself Flowey can protect Asriel from your sins? Can you excuse all the pain you've caused just because you're soulless?"

"N-no," Flowey said. "That's… that's not it. I just… don't want anyone's worthless pity."

"Fair enough, but…" She pulled out one of the bloody thorns lodged inside her. "You don't want anyone to remember you like this, do you? You'd rather be remembered as the innocent cute little goat child that no one could save."

Flowey grimaced.

"But you were never innocent," she harshly said. "You let your dear sister take her own life. Painfully. Slowly. All so you could let your dangerous race roam free. Did you not think of the consequences your freedom might have? Chara did."

She suddenly took another swing at him. Flowey ducked under it and swept her to the ground. He stabbed at her with a thorny vine, but Nora cut it off and rolled back to her feat.

"As much of a hard time I give her," Nora went on. "I actually have a lot of respect for Chara. We're not so different, really. We both simply made a choice. I chose to stand with my own kind, while she sided with monsters. But you? You're just an idiot who couldn't make up his mind until it was too late."

… all right, it was time to bring out the big magic. They weren't as powerful as the ones he'd used against Frisk, but they still packed a punch. Flowey conjured a bomb. He held it high in his vine and laughed. "Yeah, you're right. Because of my indecision, Chara sacrificed herself for nothing. You said you respect her, but she does not respect you. She hates you! So, if I want to make up for my betrayal, blowing you to bloody pieces will be a nice start!"

Flower tossed his bomb at Nora. Her purple eyes widened. She rolled to the side and barley cleared the explosion. Cackling, Flowey didn't relent. He kept chucking more bombs at Nora.

As they exploded around her, Nora infused her swords with some spell, making them glow with a white light. She swung at the air, and a shockwave of magical energy followed each swing. The magical beams collided with the bombs, detonating them in mid-air. Oh, come on! Why did she have to be so damn persistent? Flowey didn't relent. He threw more bombs all around her. She couldn't keep countering forever. He had to win! He had to kill her, for Chara!

Nora spun around and slashed every single bomb Flowey threw at her, but her back was to him now. He had her! Flower gripped a bomb in his vines.

Nora immediately turned around and swung at him. Flowey tried to throw it away, but it was too late. Her shockwave detonated the bomb in his vines. Flowey yelped form the heat and shock of the magical explosion. He wheezed and struggled to see through the smoke.

He recovered just in time to see Nora's blade impale his face.

N-no… I can't…

Nora laughed once more. "Ah! It's such a damn shame I won't remember this!"

She tore Flowey's face in half.

Flowey had died many times before, but… he always had control of the timeline. He knew Frisk would reset, but not before his consciousness faded. For the first time, he was going to truly leave this world. He was scared. He was again confronted with that question; if you didn't have a soul, then what happened when you… died? As he left his mortal coil, he was filled with primal fear. He didn't want to die. He wanted to live again. He wanted to love again. He wanted to be Asriel again. He thought of the ones he once loved most, vainly wishing they could save him somehow. Mom, Dad, Frisk, Chara…

But nobody came.

"In the future, if you, uh, see me... don't think of it as me, okay?"

-Asriel Dreemurr

Chapter Text

Chara gasped as she shot up from her bed, covered in a cold sweat.

"Chara..."

It was the middle of the night. She was in Frisk's bed, and Frisk was beside her, holding her. Afraid and confused, she turned to face him. "F-Frisk? What?"

"You were thrashing in your sleep," Frisk explained.

She frowned. "Oh… sorry to wake you, Frisk."

"Were you dreaming about Felicia?" he asked.

It had been a while, but the last dream was stronger than any other, and absolutely horrifying. "Frisk, it was awful," she said. "Her brother… someone poisoned him. He died right in front of her."

"What?" Frisk asked. "But, he's still alive. Did Felicia...?"

Chara nodded. "Yes, Felicia reset to save him, and that's when I woke up."

"Oh," Frisk said. "Did you… see who did it?"

Chara shook her head. "No, but Frisk, this dream was different than the others. It was... I don't think the word 'dream' adequately explains it. I didn't just see through her eyes. I could feel her thoughts. I knew what she was thinking, Frisk."

"Her thoughts?" Frisk asked. "Like when you were in my head?"

"No," she answered. "It was nothing like when I was in your head. It was disorienting. I had trouble feeling my own thoughts over hers. It felt so weird, and the worst part was feeling how she felt about everyone. I could feel how much she cared about her brother, her parents, Nate, and even Nora." She stifled a bitter laugh. "It felt wrong. I hate Nora, but in this dream, I was forced to like her, because Felicia liked her. Jacob too. Felicia was so heartbroken over his death, and by extension, I was heartbroken, but why should I care? That creature holds no love for monsters whatsoever. He would see my family rot underground for eternity."

Frisk paused. "Maybe," he said, "but maybe he wasn't always like that. I think his sister's death changed him, and not for the better."

God, Frisk was an insanely kind person. He should have hated Malcom, but it sounded like he was willing to give even him a chance. Chara loved him for it, but she couldn't be half as merciful as Frisk. She hated Malcom... but did she have the right to hate him? Did she have the right to hate anyone? Malcom was right about one thing. If she'd had her way, she would have committed genocide against humanity, and… Frisk never would have been born. Sweet, wonderful Frisk. That alone was an unforgivable sin. How could she judge anyone after that?

Chara sighed. Wallowing in self-hatred wasn't going to do her any good. It was possible that finding out who killed Felicia could be used against Malcom somehow. Although, there was also the matter of what caused all those timelines to be destroyed. Dr. Gaster had spoken of alternate timelines before. They may have been different worlds, but it was still frightening to hear about so many being destroyed for no apparent reason. The Miller scientists predicted that her timeline, the very world she lived in, may have been destroyed about thirty years from then, and that was about how long it had been until Frisk arrived underground, and when… she had awakened…

No, out of the question! Frisk would never let her do something like that. Even if she wanted to, Frisk would've stopped her. She couldn't have overpowered him if she tried. Frisk was too strong, too kind. No matter what kind of demon was influencing him, he never, in any world, would've allowed something so vile to happen. Frisk had nothing to do with those timelines.

At the very least, not the Frisk she knew, not her Frisk.

"Are you all right?" Frisk asked.

She wasn't. That dream had shaken her, and not just because of the murder. She shook her head. "No, I'm not all right."

He frowned. "What's wrong?"

"… sorry," Chara apologized. "I'm… scared, Frisk. That last dream, it felt like… like I was Felicia. By taking Felicia's soul, I've taken part of her into myself. I'm afraid that… I might not be entirely myself anymore. Felicia is a part of me now."

"But... it's still you," Frisk said. Cute, but it didn't change the facts.

"Frisk, don't you get it?" she asked. "How do I know that my feelings for you are my feelings? How do I know it's me? What if… Felicia is the one who's fallen in love with you?"

Frisk laughed. "No, it's you, Chara. I know it's you."

"How can you be so sure?"

"Felicia never even knew me, especially not like you. Just think about your brother. How do you feel about him?"

She did so. She saw what Frisk was trying to say. When she was soulless, Chara could no longer feel anything for Asriel, but now, all those feelings were back, exactly as before. Felicia no doubt would have grown to like Asriel if she knew him, but she didn't. Felicia couldn't have possibly loved him the way Chara did, right? Chara's feelings for Asriel were her own, not Felicia's, and the same went for Frisk. She may have gained some of Felicia's feelings, but her own feelings were back as well. At least, she hoped they were hers.

She gave Frisk a warm smile, and she hugged him. "Well, one thing's for sure; someone really loves you, Frisk."

"Chara, I love you. I love the girl who never gave up and always told me to stay determined when I needed it most. I'm sure I would have been great friends with Felicia if I knew her, and she didn't deserve what happened to her, but you're the one who's been with me this whole time."

"Yeah." She took a deep breath. "All right, I guess I should tell you everything about my dream."

Frisk lovingly rubbed her back. Chara let out a soft whimper at Frisk's warm touch, and she felt her anxiety melt away. "Later," Frisk said. "Just rest for now. I'll stay with you."

Chara was indeed very tired. She was a little wary of having another dream, but Frisk always had a way of filling her with hope. "Very well," Chara said. She smirked. "But, Frisk… I thought this was too frisky for you?"

He squeezed her tight. "Oh, shut up!"

"Hee hee… I love you."

He kissed her cheek. "I love you too."

Curled up in Frisk's warm embrace, Chara easily fell back to sleep.

In the morning light, Chara opened her eyes, feeling refreshed after a dreamless sleep. She rolled over and saw Frisk, still asleep and still holding her. She smiled; it still felt so surreal. After all this time, they were finally a couple. If someone had told her on the moment they'd met that this would happen, she would have scoffed and called them an idiot, but that was because she had been the foolish one. She hadn't yet realized how wonderful Frisk was. She leaned close and kissed him on the cheek as he slept, and then she quietly got out of bed.

As she stretched her arms, she saw something on the nightstand, a white sheet of paper. She picked it up. It was a note, with Flowey's handwriting.

Howdy, you two. Just letting you know I'm gonna be gone for a while. If you don't see me for a few days, I'm probably dead. See ya!

- Flowey

Chara felt like she had been punched in the gut. What the hell? Where had Flowey gone? What was he doing?! Chara looked at Frisk, still sleeping. She walked over to him and shook his shoulder. "Frisk..."

He groggily opened his eyes. "Wh-what?"

She held out the note to him. "My brother is gone," she said. "He might be in -"

Ding!

Chara's phone sounded with its text tone. She grabbed it; the message was from Flowey. Oh, good! She opened the message. There was a picture...

She fought back the urge to vomit.

It was Flowey, his face torn in half. Chara could still see an expression of terror on his severed face. She clenched her shivering fists. Who had done this?

Frisk gasped as he saw the picture. "Wh-what?"

Ring! Ring!

Chara's phone informed her of an incoming call from 'Flowey.' She answered it. "Who the fuck are you?"

A painfully familiar voice laughed. "Oh, Chara…"

She growled. "Nora..."

"Aww, you remembered!" Nora said. "I'm so flattered!"

"I'm going to kill you," Chara breathed. "You hear me? I'm going to kill you!"

"Oh, Jacob!" Nora exclaimed. "Please tell me about this after the reset! I can sense her killing intent all the way from here!"

"Why?" Chara demanded. "Why did you do that to him?!"

"He attacked us," Nora claimed. "He came to murder poor Boaris for his soul. His malice was so strong that I spotted him immediately. And then, he tried to kill me for you, Chara! He said he wanted to tear me to bloody pieces in your honor! Aren't you proud of him?"

Flowey tried to kill Boaris? Oh, Flowey… how could she blame him? Of course Flowey wanted a new soul, and with Boaris being Boaris, how could he not go for it? Chara just wished he hadn't been so reckless, but why...?

"Why are you telling us this?" Chara asked.

"Would you believe me if I told you it was solely out of the kindness of our hearts?" Nora replied.

"Not for a second."

"Probably wise," Nora said, "but I'm not very big on lying. I just tell it how it is!"

"And that's supposed to make me trust you?" Chara asked.

"It's really quite simple," Nora said. "We know you're going to reset over this sooner or later, so we might as well get it over with, so get to it! Go ahead and get on with your mass memory wiping!"

Frisk cringed.

"Then, why didn't you call Frisk?" Chara asked. "He's the one who can reset."

"Why, because I like you, Chara!" Nora said. "Frisk is boring! He's such a goody-two-shoes; where's the fun in that? You're so much more interesting!"

… what was wrong with her?

"I'm going to kill you," Chara repeated.

"Hey, I know the feeling," Nora said. "If anyone hurt Jacob or Nate, I'd want them dead too."

Chara felt something strange in the back of her soul. Something like… nostalgia. Chara cursed silently. Why was her soul trying to make her care about someone she hated?

'Well, I'm sure I'll see you after the reset," Nora said, "or at least, most of me will. After all, you are about to take away a small piece of me, a piece that I'll rather miss, too. Oh, well. Bye!" Nora hung up.

Chara looked into Frisk's frightened eyes. "Frisk, please…"

Frisk nodded.

Who am I?

Right, he was Flowey, Flowey the Flower, the soulless essence of Asriel Dreemurr. He needed to kill Boaris for his soul, and he was fighting Nora, but he…

Flowey felt sick. His vision was hazy. Where was he?

There were purple walls, and a dark blue and burgundy tiled floor. There were humans and monsters seated at tables all around. Most of them were either conversing or consuming food. Flowey was on one of these tables. He noticed two humans looking at him. They both looked like young teenagers, and water was leaking from their eyes. One of them had tan skin, dark red eyes, and brown hair that went down to his shoulders, and he wore a blue sweater with two magenta stripes. His face had a gentle and caring appearance.

The other human looked oddly similar, but there were some distinct differences. Her hairstyle was nearly identical, except its color was brighter and more of an auburn than brown. Her eyes were also red, but brighter, more conspicuous. Her skin tone was pale, and her cheeks were noticeably rosy. She wore a green sweater with a single pale yellow stripe, and she was wearing something around her neck, a golden locket shaped like a heart. Something about the locket captivated Flowey. It looked so… familiar.

Oh… they were his best friends, Frisk and Chara.

They were saying something to him, but his hearing wasn't working right. Their voices sounded muffled and distant, as if he were on the other side of an invisible screen. Flowey tried to focus.

"Asriel… Asriel!"

Flowey coughed. "H-howdy."

Chara hugged Flowey's face to her cheek. "Brother! Are you okay?"

"Ugh… been better."

Chara sobbed. "I'm so sorry, Asriel. I know you need a new soul. I'm sorry it's taking so long, but please be patient. I promised that I would save you, and I meant it. I really would give you my soul if it'd make you whole again."

"Hey, don't do that," Flowey said. "If you gave up your soul, Frisk would be sad, and... Asriel would be sad."

Yes, Asriel would've been sad, but Flowey wasn't Asriel. He knew Chara understood that.

Frisk didn't.

"Asriel," Frisk said, "why do you keep talking like that? You are Asriel."

Flowey couldn't believe him. He sounded just like Nora. Anger swelled inside him, boiling until it exploded. "NO, FRISK! I'M FLOWEY!"

Frisk whimpered. "A-Asriel..."

"STOP CALLING ME THAT!"

Heads all around the restaurant turned to face them. Frisk froze, frowning painfully. "I'm sorry," he whispered. "I know you're not entirely yourself, but Asriel's still in there, right? If you weren't, then why did you want to find Chara so badly?"

Flowey paused. It was true. Back underground, he'd wanted to find Chara more than anything, but that wasn't because he'd cared about her. He just... it was complicated. Maybe...

"... maybe you have a point," Flowey admitted. "I still don't see myself as Asriel, but... I am part of Asriel. Maybe, the truth is, I always had Flowey inside me, and I will always have Flowey inside me. Even if I get a soul again, I'll have to live with that."

"But it's not your fault," Chara said. "How can you be expected not to harm people if you physically can not care about them? Your true self does care, and without that, you are not the same person."

Flowey smiled. For her faults, he could always count on Chara to understand him. "Uh, hey," he said. "I can't really say 'I'm sorry,' but I'm, uh, I don't know. I feel like I shouldn't have made you reset. I know how much you hate resets, Chara."

She frowned. "Indeed, I'm such a hypocrite, aren't I? I despise using resets to avoid consequences, except for when it benefits me."

"What did you expect me to do?" Frisk asked. "I couldn't just let Asriel die."

"Of course," Chara said, "but I'm not blind to how unfair it is. People die every day, and just because they don't have a World Master friend, they stay dead. Why should we get special treatment?"

No one had a good answer to that.

Chara laughed. "Hey, I'm not that worried about it. I can be selfish every now and then."

"... yeah," Frisk said. "We're only human."

Flowey looked around the restaurant. It suddenly dawned on him that he'd have to sit through their date again. Ah, hell...

Their waitress came to the table. "Good evening," she said flatly. "Welcome to the MTT Restaurant. My name is Bova Fheit, and I'll be serving you tonight. Are you ready to order?"

I hear she's good friends with Loox! Flowey thought.

"We'll share a steak," Frisk answered.

The cow monster sighed. "How would you like that cooked?"

"Up to you, Frisk," Chara said.

"Rare," Frisk said with a smile.

"Frisk!" Chara exclaimed. She looked at the waitress. "He's being nice! He wants it cooked more!"

"Uh, why don't you just get separate steaks?" Bova asked.

"That's not as romantic," Frisk answered.

"Do we look like we have that kind of money?" Chara asked. "He at least wants it medium rare."

"So, medium rare?" Bova asked.

"Oh, all right," Frisk said.

"Okay, medium rare it is. Anything for the, uh, flower?"

"I'm good," Flowey said.

"Okay," Bova wrote their order down left.

Meanwhile, Chara looked at Flowey and smiled. "Well," she said, "I suppose you will face some consequences. Consider this your punishment for making Frisk reset."

As Flowey felt a chill run down his steam, Chara gave her creepy smile. "Mess up again, and we'll make out right in front of you."

"Y-you wouldn't," Flowey whimpered.

"Oh?" Chara asked. "You think we wouldn't do it? Do you wish to test that theory?"

Frisk grinned. "I wouldn't mind testing that theory..."

Chara laughed. "I'm sure you wouldn't."

"Okay, that's enough!" Flowey said.

Frisk caressed Chara's cheek. "You're so pretty, Chara."

Chara gave him a disgustingly sweet smile. "And you look dashing, Frisk."

"Stop it! Stop it! I learned my lesson! No more assassination attempts! I get it!"

"Do you hear something, my love?" Frisk asked.

"Just the sound of your sweet voice," Chara sickly responded.

This was going to be a real bad time.

After repeating their date and their conversation with Toriel, Frisk returned home with Chara and Asriel. They went to his room and sat down. Now that they were safe at home, they had a lot to talk about.

"Asriel," Chara said, "now that we're done torturing you, I have a lot to tell you and Frisk. I've recently experienced another one of Felicia's memories."

Chara relayed her latest dream in all its disturbing detail.

"Golly," Asriel said, "even by my standards, that's brutal."

Frisk wondered who could have done it. Everyone denied responsibility, but everyone could've had a compelling motive. "Chara, what do you think?"

"The important question is," Chara said, "why did Jacob die? Was it really an accident, or was he the intended target all along?"

Frisk wasn't so sure. "But, why would someone want to kill Jacob?"

Chara gave one of her bitter laughs. "If someone knew what he was going to become, why wouldn't they?"

"Oh, I can think of a few reasons," Asriel said. "Whoever did it was probably doing it to hurt Felicia. It's a classic move. Take someone that your enemy loves, and torture them until they break. I think that is what's going on here."

Frisk winced. That sounded horrible. How could anyone do such a thing?

"It could be anyone," Chara said. "Their parents seemed really upset over Jacob's death, but of course they'd act that way if they are the killers. If they are guilty, they wouldn't give it away by laughing off their own son's illness. That would be stupid. Maybe it was the mother, maybe it was the father, or maybe it was both. Or, perhaps it was the scientists, John Miller and Eva Miller. Those two have plenty of motive and clearly did not like Felicia.

"Nora's still a prime suspect as well, but I admit that she seemed genuinely pissed over Jacob's death. I don't think it's Nate. He strikes me as a nothing more than a carefree dork who tragically lost his innocence over Felicia's death. He kind of reminds me of you, Asriel. Still, it would be unwise to ignore him. Hell, it could even be Jacob himself. He could have committed suicide, making Felicia hunt down a killer that doesn't exist."

God, Frisk hoped it wasn't that. Then again, none of the possibilities were particularly good. Her family, her friends, her friends' family, someone had betrayed her. Though, how could it have been one of the children? "How would one of the children get poison?" Frisk asked. "Uh, well, a concealable poison, anyway."

"What was the poison?" Asriel asked.

"I think it was in the tea," Chara answered. "Jacob took a sip from it shortly before he died."

"So, yeah," Frisk said, "how could a child get ahold of something poisonous to slip in tea?"

"I'm sure they could find a way," Chara said.

Even if one of the kids could have done it, they were still just kids! Well, Nora had been about Frisk's current age, and Felicia and Nate had been thirteen, but Jacob had only been ten! Frisk didn't want to believe they could do it, and he didn't want to believe the parents could do it, either. That only left one possibility he felt somewhat comfortable with, relatively speaking, anyway. "I agree with Felicia," he said. "I think it was the scientists."

"Is that what you really believe?" Chara asked. "Or is that what you want to believe?"

Frisk frowned. "A bit of both?"

"I'm not saying Felicia was wrong," Chara said. "Perhaps it was the scientists, but I fear that Felicia had allowed emotion to cloud her judgment. We must consider every possibility, no matter how unsavory they may be."

Frisk was getting frustrated. They really needed more evidence to narrow down the suspects. "Hey, here's an idea. Let's see where their parents are now."

"Ah, good idea!" Chara exclaimed.

Frisk went to his computer and looked them up. Shortly after Jacob Malcom succeeded his mother as the President of the World Government, Elizabeth Malcom and Booker Malcom both went into retirement, and they divorced. The Millers, meanwhile, were still active scientists studying souls and DT, and they reportedly were still living together happily.

Chara hummed. "The Malcoms are divorced, are they? A red flag perhaps, but divorce isn't uncommon. Doesn't prove anything." She sighed. "This is getting us nowhere. I suppose all we can do is wait for more dreams to unfold."

"I guess." Frisk yawned. It hadn't been that long for him, but he felt just as tired as he did this same night before the reset. "All right, let's get some sleep."

Chara smiled. "I wouldn't mind sleeping together again."

Asriel scoffed. "Gross, I'm leaving." He started walking out of the room, but then he stopped. "Oh, but first," he said. "I should probably mention; Boaris is working with Malcom."

"Well, we pretty much knew that," Frisk said.

"But I know why," Asriel said. "Boaris doesn't believe monsters should live on the surface. He wants us all to go back Underground."

Frisk froze. Boaris wanted...?

"What?" Chara asked. "That doesn't make sense. Why would a monster want his own people back underground?"

"To prevent war, I guess," Asriel said. "He basically wants us all to surrender and give up, so no one gets slaughtered again."

Frisk was stunned. He hadn't expected that, but he could understand his thought process. Humans and monsters had lived together once, and there was a huge war, so Boaris didn't want to risk letting it happen again. Frisk didn't agree with him, but he understood his fear.

Chara clenched her fists. "Traitor..."

"He sure is," Asriel said. "Well, see you tomorrow!"

"Brother, wait," Chara said. "Don't do anything dangerous, all right?"

"Don't worry, I learned my lesson. I don't want to see you and Frisk make out, trust me."

She smiled. "All jokes aside, I do feel bad for you. Is there any way I can make it up to you?"

"Oh, gee," Asriel said. "I don't know. I'll get back to you on that."

Chara nodded. "Very well, we may discuss it tomorrow."

"Okay, bye!" Flowey went out the door and slammed it shut, leaving Frisk and Chara alone.

Chara growled. "I cannot believe this," she said. "Boaris wants to surrender to the humans? What a coward."

"He doesn't want anyone to die," Frisk said. "I can understand that."

She gave him a sad look. "Frisk, you would never give up like that, would you? You'll never allow the humans to rebuild the Barrier, will you?"

Frisk smiled. "Of course not. I didn't say I agree with Boaris."

Chara smiled back. "Thank you, Frisk." She leaned in and gave him a quick kiss on the lips. "I'm glad I can trust you."

He blushed. "You're welcome, Chara."

Chara took off her shoes and tucked herself into bed. With a mischievous smile, Frisk joined her. Chara giggled. "Feels like we were just here."

Frisk laughed. "Yeah."

She smirked. "You sure went form 'I'm not ready for that' to jumping right in rather quickly. Have my seductive charms corrupted you?

He stroked her adorable auburn hair. "Yes, you're bringing out my bad side…"

It was Chara's turn to blush. "W-well, I guess there are worse vices to have."

"Hey, if you're uncomfortable, I can leave."

She grabbed his shoulder. "No! Stay!"

Frisk smiled warmly. "Chara, if you have another bad dream, I'll be here for you."

She smiled back and held him tight. "Thank you."

He curled up inside her embrace. "Goodnight, Chara."

"'Night, my Frisk."

Chara turned off the light, and Frisk fell asleep in the warmth of her arms.

Chapter Text

"Interrogate him; find out what he knows."

- Kazuhira Miller, Metal Gear Solid V

Why even bother?

Frisk and Chara were taking Flowey to Alphys's lab. He wasn't sure why. He knew there was no way that lizard could save him, not without a monster soul. Why did they insist on wasting time when Boaris was probably planning to become an unstoppable god? He always knew that Frisk's sentimentality would be the death of him, but he thought Chara knew better.

They arrived at the lab and knocked on the door, Undyne greeted them. "Oh, h-hey guys!"

Frisk smiled. "Hi, Undyne! How are you doing?"

"Oh, we're doing great!" she said. "Alphys is doing just fine! Totally fine! No problems whatsoever!"

Sure…

Frisk frowned. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah!" Undyne exclaimed. "Alphys is just peachy! Why wouldn't she be?"

Frisk tried to step inside, but Undyne blocked him. "H-hey! Uh, it's a nice day outside, isn't it? Why don't you stay out here for a while?"

"Undyne, what's wrong?" Chara asked.

"Nothing!" Undyne insisted. "Alphys just needs a minute… or an hour."

They moved past Undyne and saw Alphys. She was at her computer, frowning sadly. She nearly jumped out of her seat when she saw them. "O-oh! Hey, everyone!"

"Alphys, what's the matter?" Frisk asked.

'Oh, it's nothing!" Alphys lied.

Chara and Flowey looked at Alphys's computer screen. It was on her email account, and her inbox was full of hateful messages over Endogeny and the other amalgamates. People were blaming her for Endogeny's incident, and Malcom was spurring them on.

Who's responsible for Endogeny? Malcom had written. Look no further than Dr. Alphys! Asgore's crazy Royal Scientist!

"Malcom deserves death," Chara growled.

"Alphys…" Frisk hugged her. "It's not your fault."

"That's what I keep telling her!" Undyne exclaimed.

"But it is my fault," Alphys said. "If I hadn't given them all that DT so carelessly, they would be at peace, but instead I forced them to live as… well, you know how they are."

"Hey, it's not all bad," Flowey said. "At least they can still feel happiness and stuff." Oh, wait, probably not helping.

Alphys sniffled. "I know why you're here. No, I haven't made any progress on Asriel. Pathetic, isn't it? I can't correct any of my mistakes."

Big surprise there.

"Th-that's all right, Alphys," Frisk said, although Flowey could hear the disappointment in his voice.

"Is there anything I can do?" Chara asked.

"Can you get me a spare monster soul?" Alphys responded.

As Jerry would say, awkward…

"I'd love to give you Boaris's soul," Chara said. "That bastard wants all of you to go back underground."

"Wait, what?!" Undyne shouted. "Boaris wants us to go back? Fuck… uh, I mean, screw that!"

"Yes, fuck that," Chara said.

"Seriously, though!" Undyne exclaimed. "You worked so hard to get us here, and now Boaris wants us to go back? Why?"

"He's afraid of another war breaking out," Frisk explained. "He thinks it's safer for both races if monsters just went back to Mount Ebott. Apparently, he's working with Malcom to make this happen."

"Hey, here's an idea!" Undyne shouted. "Why don't we send the HUMANS underground? See how THEY like it?" She looked at Frisk and smiled awkwardly. "Uh, no offense."

Chara smiled. "I love you, Undyne."

Frisk frowned. "Undyne, I want everyone to live in peace."

"Yeah, yeah, I know," Undyne replied. "I'm just saying, if someone has to go underground again, why not humans? Boaris is a real piece of garbage!"

"I can't say I blame him," Alphys said. "He still remembers the first war. After what his daughter did, and what happened to the rest of his family, I'd have a hard time imagining him supporting peace with humanity. To him, it's only a matter of time until a monster seeks the power of the human soul."

Flowey didn't care how tragic his past was. Frisk probably had a different opinion, but he didn't care about that, either. Boaris needed to die.

"So, what are we gonna do about him?" Undyne asked. "I need to kick his boar booty!"

"I tried that," Flowey said.

Frisk solemnly nodded. "Yes, Asriel died trying to kill Boaris for his soul. He was caught by Malcom and his bodyguard. I had to reset to save him."

"Then I need to kick Malcom's butt too!" Undyne said.

"It gets worse," Flowey said. "Before I died, I overhead him talking to Malcom. They were saying something about 'showing everyone how strong monsters are.'"

Undyne's eyes widened. "They can't possibly mean…"

Flowey nodded. "That's what it sounds like."

Undyne clenched her fists. "We need to do something."

"But what?" Alphys asked.

"I don't know, tell everyone?" Undyne suggested.

"We have no proof," Chara said. "Our word alone is insufficient for such an extreme accusation."

"And we don't want to cause panic," Alphys said. "That could be exactly what Malcom wants."

Undyne growled. "Then what do we DO?!"

"I have a few ideas," Flowey said.

Frisk and Chara both looked worried. Their concern was understandable after his last stunt, but Flowey had it this time.

Undyne, meanwhile, grinned excitedly. "Don't leave us hanging! What is it?"

"You and Alphys just keep an eye on Boaris," Flowey said. "Frisk, Chara, and I are going to figure this all out."

"Oh, come on!" Undyne complained. "You're seriously going out there without me? As Captain of the Royal Guard, I demand a part in this investigation!"

Hmm… she could be useful, actually.

"All right!" Flowey chirped. "You can come with us too, Undyne!"

Undyne laughed. "That's right! You can't do this without me!"

"B-be careful, Undyne," Alphys said.

"Aw, you're so sweet to worry about me! Come here!" Undyne grabbed her tight and kissed her. Disgusting. Seriously, what was so great about pressing mouths against each other? Even when he'd had his soul, Flowey had never understood that. It was gross.

"U-Undyne!" Alphys squealed. "Not in front of them!"

Finally, a voice of reason! At least one person here has a sense of decency.

Undyne smiled. "Don't worry, dear! You know I won't let anyone hurt me!"

Alphys smiled back. "Y-yeah, you're right, and I've got your back! I'll watch you from here."

"Ah, that's right!" Flowey exclaimed. "Alphys, you have access to the surveillance network, don't you?"

"Umm, yes?" Alphys answered.

"Perfect! Alphys, I need you to monitor that little 'protection squad' of Frisk's."

Alphys looked at him dubiously. "Uh, okay?"

"Brother, what are you planning?" Chara asked.

Flowey grinned. "We're gonna have a little chat with someone."

"Who?" Frisk asked.

"Someone who shouldn't be hard to find," Flowey said. "He's always close by."

"Agent Miller?" Chara asked.

Yes, he was the obvious target. Malcom and Boaris would be ready for them, and Flowey still wasn't sure how Nora had detected him so easily. It was like she had some kind of sixth sense. An attack on any of them would probably go as about as well as last time. Miller, however, was stuck with them, and Flowey was confident he could get him to talk. "That's right," he said. "We're going to get Miller to tell us everything he knows."

"Who the hell is Miller?" Undyne asked.

"Frisk's stalker," Flowey answered. "He's in charge of some people that 'protect' Frisk. They quietly follow him around wherever he goes."

"Oh, like the Royal Guard," Undyne said. "Except creepier."

"Exactly," Flowey said.

"What do you need him for?" Undyne asked.

"That's… a long story," Chara said.

"We'll fill you in on the way," Flowey said.

Chara looked at Flowey with a sad expression. "Asriel, I wanted to spend some time with you today."

Flowey was honestly confused. "Then what's the problem? We're doing this together. We are spending time with each other."

"Yes, but, you know, not like this. I wanted to do something nice for you."

Aw, and here I thought you only care about Frisk now.

"Yeah," Frisk said. "We really do feel bad about what happened to you. We know it must have hurt, and we want to make it up to you."

Their worthless sentiments were lost on him. "Look," he said, "I'm sure Asriel would be touched, but the fate of the world is kind of at stake here. We don't have time to mess around. Whatever you have in mind can wait."

"To be honest," Chara said, "we did not have anything specific in mind. However, we want to give you a day of your own. We shall do whatever you desire… within reason."

Flowey could tell what they were thinking. What could they possibly do for someone unable to care about others? How could they possibly make him happy?

"Can we kill Boaris?" Flowey asked. "Because that's literally the only thing that would make me happy."

Chara sighed. "I wish, Asriel. I wish."

Yes, of course they couldn't. Although, Flowey did like the idea of being in control for a day. Having someone do everything he said was always fun, but fun wasn't what Flowey wanted at the moment. Aside from Boaris's soul, there was only one thing Flowey wanted.

"All right, I accept your offer!" Flowey exclaimed. "Today is Flowey Day! Today, you'll all do what I want! And if there's anything I want, it's to satisfy my curiosity. You see, this whole thing with Malcom, Felicia, and everyone else is all part of a big story, and I gotta say, this story is moving too damn slow! It's time to stop flirting around and get this plot moving!"

Undyne sounded offended. "Flirting around? You got a problem with me and Alphys? You think romance is trashy? Well, it's not! It's adorable and awesome! You got that?!"

"Oh, you disgust me too," Flowey said, "but I was talking about a certain other pair."

Alphys giggled. "Undyne, you haven't heard?"

"Heard what?" Undyne asked.

Alphys grinned. "Oh, you have no idea!"

"Huh?"

Frisk whispered something to Chara. She smiled and shook her head.

Alphys laughed. "Oh, nothing."

Undyne shrugged. "Whatever. I do agree that we need to get a move on already! This Miller guy isn't going to interrogate himself!"

"A fish after my soulless heart," Flowey quipped.

Frisk fidgeted nervously. "I don't know about this."

Flowey groaned. "Come on, Frisk. I know you're big on your pacifism thing, but don't worry. We're not going to kill him. We're just gonna talk to him, and maybe beat him up a little! That's okay, right? Even you are not above giving people a good beating when they need it. You beat up Asgore after all!"

Frisk winced. Maybe that was a bit harsh, not that Flowey could actually feel bad for him.

Chara glared at him. "Frisk didn't want to do that."

That got his attention. "Chara, I…"

"It's all right," Frisk said.

No, it wasn't all right. Flowey knew he was a sociopath, and he was sick of it. "No, Frisk. I shouldn't have brought that up."

"Don't worry about it," Frisk said. "Like you said, not everything can be solved just by being nice."

"So, you'll do it?" Flowey asked.

Frisk nodded. "Let's get him."

Nate hated this job.

It wasn't easy, following that kid around everywhere he went. He knew Frisk didn't like it, no one would, but they were both stuck with it. As much as Nate hated it, he knew that it was necessary. Those terrorists had proven that. Frisk had to be guarded from such threats, and not to mention that crazy Chara kid he was so infatuated with.

If it were up to him, Nate would put a bullet in that lunatic's head and be done with her. He didn't care how much she had changed. Chara's crimes were unforgivable. Did Frisk have no sense of justice? No, of course not. Since when was there ever justice in this world? The world was a cruel, unforgiving place that murdered the innocent at its own fickle whims. Nate had learned that long ago.

Although, he had to admit, there was something admirable about the way Frisk and Chara seemed to care for each other. Seeing them together, he couldn't help but think of Felicia. She was almost their age when she'd died, and Frisk reminded him of her. They were both so kind and determined to save the monsters, but Felicia could also be rebellious, and ruthless to anyone who opposed her.

... ruthless? How had Felicia been ruthless? Nate wasn't sure what made him think that. Well, he still didn't know if freeing the monsters was the right choice, but regardless, he missed Felicia dearly.

But, there was no time for worthless sentiment. He had to focus.

It was the middle of the day, and Frisk was walking with Chara in the center of Ebott City. For Nate and his squad, this was both a blessing and a curse. It was easier to blend in with the large crowds that roamed the urban jungle, but that also meant more eyes on them and more witnesses if they caused a scene. Nate didn't know exactly why Frisk had gone downtown, and his movements didn't make any sense. He and Chara moved through the dense city quickly and erratically. Most of his squad couldn't keep up. Only himself and two of his best agents, Agent Campbell and Agent Clark, still had him in sight. Clearly, they were trying to lose them, but why?

Suddenly, Chara led Frisk into a seemingly random, secluded alleyway devoid of people. The kind where people went to get mugged. What were they trying to pull?

"I don't like this," Clark said.

"You and me both," Nate replied.

"Orders?" Campbell requested.

"Let's move in together, nice and slow."

Nate, Campbell, and Clark grouped up at the alley's entrance. As they walked in, Frisk and Chara broke off into a sprint.

"The hell?" Campbell breathed.

"Pursue!" Nate ordered.

They didn't know what was going on, but they ran to follow them. As they gave chase, Nate heard something slam into the ground, followed by a yelp.

"I can't move!" Clark called out.

Nate and Campbell stopped to help their fellow agent. She was on the ground, and her soul was glowing with a strange green aura. Campbell tried to help her back up. She could move her arms around, but her legs were completely paralyzed. It was some kind of magic spell. If only Nora were around. She'd know what to do.

"Forget about me," Clark said.

Campbell tugged at her. "Come on! Shake it-" He fell over, surrounded by the same green aura. "Damn it! Miller, get out of here before it gets you too!"

Miller hated to leave them behind, but the mission came first. He saw Frisk turn a corner, and he ran as fast as he could. He turned the corner, and he felt something wrap itself around his body. Before he could react, he was helplessly lifted into the air. It was something green, and it smelled vaguely like a freshly mowed lawn.

Well, this wasn't something they had gone over in basic.

"Hee hee hee. Howdy, Agent Miller!"

Flowey gleefully watched Miller squirm within his grasp. He never got tired of watching his victims struggle, and the plan was executed so flawlessly! He had to admit, having allies made things a lot more interesting. Undyne's paralysis spell had proven to be very useful, and Alphys was also helpful for ditching the other agents. Friends were so useful! If only Flowey could actually care about them.

"Great job abandoning your friends!" Flowey mocked. "Made things real easy on us!"

"What are you doing?" Miller demanded as he kept struggling.

"I believe this is what you military types call an interrogation," Flowey answered.

Miller scoffed. "Interrogation? About what? I'm just a bodyguard. They don't tell me anything."

"Oh, we'll see about that." Flowey grabbed one of his fingers and bent it back. "It's funny. As dangerous as you are to monsters, you water sacks really aren't that durable. Want to find out how much force it takes to make you snap?"

"Asriel, that's enough!" Frisk shouted. "At least try to do this without hurting him!"

Flowey sighed. The naive idiot really didn't understand how an interrogation worked, but all right. He didn't want a repeat of what he did to Endogeny. Flowey let Miller down in front of Frisk and Chara.

"What are you thinking?" Miller demanded. "Threatening an officer? Even for you, that's a dangerous move."

Chara folded her arms. "We require answers. You shall divulge everything you know about Malcom's plans."

Miller scowled. "What are you talking about? What does Jacob have to do with this?"

"Do not take us for fools," Chara said. "We are already aware of his intention to empower Boaris with human souls. You are going to reveal when, where, and how."

"Are you insane?" Miller asked. "I know Jacob. He couldn't do something like that even if he wanted to. Few people know this, but he's actually kind of a pushover."

Well, he wasn't entirely wrong. Malcom had acted rather cowardly during Flowey's fight with Nora, but Malcom didn't need a backbone if others were doing the dirty work for him. "Stop lying," he said. "You know what he's up to. We know you know what he's up to, and now you know that we know that you know what he's up to. So, why don't you spill it before I do something that'll make Frisk cry?"

"I told you," Miller spat. "I'm just a glorified bodyguard. Jacob told me to protect Frisk and report his actions, and that's it."

"Report his actions?" Chara said. "Hmm, interesting. What was the nature of this information the President requested?"

"Anything suspicious," he answered.

"Such as?"

"Hell if I -"

"NGAHHHHHH!"

Undyne flew into the alley and grabbed Miller by the collar. "All right, you creep! Start talking!"

Miller didn't flinch. "Captain Undyne. Are you the one who paralyzed my squad?"

Undyne laughed. "That's right! We monsters aren't all pushovers!" To prove her point, Undyne suplexed Miller and smashed his back on the ground. Flowey heard a satisfying thud as Miller groaned painfully. Nice one, Undyne!

Frisk, of course, frowned sympathetically. "Undyne, don't hurt him if we don't have to."

Undyne laughed and pulled Miller back to his feet. "Sorry, Frisk! Just having a little fun!"

"I could have you all arrested," Miller grumbled.

"Yeah, arrest Frisk," Flowey said. "That'll go really well. Won't piss anyone off at all!"

"Yeah, now spill it!" Undyne exclaimed.

Miller's red face looked as frustrated as they were. "For the last time, I know nothing about this 'plan' you think Jacob has. I know he doesn't like allowing the monsters to roam free, but that's it. Just because someone disagrees with you doesn't mean they're out to get you."

"Alright, then," Flowey said. "Time to break some fingers."

"No, wait!" Frisk exclaimed. He looked at Miller. "The future of humans and monsters is at stake. Please, if you hold any love for monsters, help us stop Malcom."

"Jacob is not...!"

Suddenly, Chara walked up to Miller and gently held his shoulder, almost like a lover. "Nate, I know Jacob's your friend, but he's making a terrible mistake. We have to stop him before he does something we'll all regret."

Wait, Nate? Jacob? Why is she calling them by their first names?

Miller swiped Chara's arm away. "Don't touch me, demon."

Chara gasped. "Nate..."

Frisk clenched his fist. "Don't insult her."

"What's wrong with you, Frisk?" Miller asked. "That demon tried to destroy her entire hometown and make her own brother a god of death. People like her are the reason we sealed the monsters away."

"And people like Malcom are the reason she wanted that!" Frisk countered.

"What does it matter?" Miller asked. "Chara made her choice when she ate those buttercups. She deserves to stay dead. When you die, you're not supposed to come back." He pointed at Flowey. "And your fate was sealed the moment you absorbed Chara's soul. If you want to redeem yourselves, then stay dead!"

Frisk shook his head. "No!" he shouted. "Death isn't the only way! You have a soul of justice, don't you? Then you should know the difference between justice and vengeance!"

Miller scoffed. "Ha! Justice! As if there's such a thing in this world!"

Frisk paused. "What?"

"Justice is an illusion," Miller said. "All our fairy tales have you believe that good always conquers evil, but power is the only thing that counts for anything in this world."

Gee, I wonder what made him believe that, Flowey thought.

"Nate," Chara said, "have you ever lost anyone? Someone you cared about?"

"Heh, is it that obvious?" Nate asked. "Yes, I have lost someone. If this world had any sense of justice, Felicia would still be alive."

Flowey, Frisk, and Chara all looked at each other. "Should we tell him?" Flowey whispered.

Frisk looked at Miller. "Who was Felicia?"

"It was a long time ago," Miller said, "but she was... one of my best friends. One day, she got deathly ill. They said it was a virus. She died shortly after. She died for no reason whatsoever. No greater good, no just cause, just a random, mindless virus, and no murderer to punish."

"What if I told you Felicia's death was no accident?" Chara asked. "What if I told you there was someone responsible for Felicia's death?"

Miller's breaths grew heavy. "What do you know about Felicia?"

Chara stared through him. "Nate, my soul, I found out who it belonged to."

Nate's yellow eyes widened. "You can't be..."

She nodded. "It was Felicia's."

For several long moments, the five of them stood in tense silence. Miller's entire body trembled. "Felicia..."

Suddenly, Miller grabbed Chara and pinned her against the wall. "YOU DEMON!" he screamed. "That soul belongs to Felicia! Give it back!" He slammed his fist into her face. "GIVE IT BACK!" He hit her again. Blood flew out of Chara's mouth and splattered on the ground.

"Chara!" Frisk shouted. "Get your hands off her!"

"Let go of her you punk!" Undyne tried to pull Miller off of her, but he elbowed her stomach and made her collapse to her knees. Before Flowey could act, Miller pulled out his pistol and aimed it at Chara's head. As everyone froze, Miller grabbed Chara by the neck and turned to face them.

"Frisk," Flowey whispered, "it might be reset time."

"Frisk, Asriel," Chara croaked, "don't worry about -"

Miller struck her again. "Shut up!"

"Let her go!" Frisk pleaded. "What would Felicia think if she saw this?"

"Who cares?" Miller asked. "If Chara came back, Felicia can come back too!"

"You hypocrite!" Flowey screamed. "Didn't you just say the dead should stay dead?"

"The difference," Miller said, "is that Felicia deserves to live! You know Felicia's life is worth more than Chara's!"

Flowey grimaced. "I don't care. Let her go!"

"Please!" Frisk shouted. "I know you miss Felicia, but you can't kill Chara for her! I won't let you!"

Miller pressed his gun against Chara's head. "You gonna reset, Frisk?! You gonna play God?"

"I will!" Frisk yelled. "So why don't you just put the gun down? There's no point in fighting!"

"If you reset," Miller said, "Jacob will know. He'll know you were up to something."

"But you won't remember!" Frisk exclaimed. "Everything you learned about Felicia will be gone!"

Miller clenched his teeth. His gun trembled in his hand. "I just want..."

"I'm sorry, Nate," Chara said. "Felicia didn't deserve to die, but killing me won't save her. If she ever awakens from death, I swear I'll put her life over my own."

"You expect me to believe you're so selfless?!" Miller shouted. His finger clenched around the trigger. "You're a murderer! Give Felicia back!"

Frisk gasped. "No, please!"

Lying on the ground, Undyne grabbed Miller's leg. "Y-you're making a big mistake," she wheezed.

Miller laughed humorlessly. "What does it matter? Frisk is going to reset this anyway."

"No, that's not it."

"Hmm?"

"If you don't let Chara go, you're really not going to like what happens next."

"Is that so?" Miller started to squeeze the trigger. Flowey shrugged. Well, whatever. Frisk could just reset. No big deal.

But, just before he fired, Miller's body glowed blue, and he was repeatedly pummeled against the wall. His pistol flew out of his hand and landed harmlessly on the concrete. Chara broke free and ran to Frisk and Flowey's side.

Frisk held her tight. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Frisk," Chara said.

"Oh, cool," Flowey said. "Saves us some trouble, I guess."

Frisk let go and scanned his surroundings. "But, who helped us?"

"Hey, there."

Out of nowhere, Sans casually walked in. Flowey had never been so happy to see Smiley Trashbag.

Frisk ran to Sans and hugged him. "Oh my God, Sans! Thank you!"

He chuckled. "Careful, kid. If you squeeze me too hard, you'll knock off my one HP."

"But, how did you…?"

Undyne coughed. "Alphys called him. She figured we could use some backup. Looks like she was right."

Sans winked. "Yep. Good thing she did, huh?" He let go of Frisk and slammed Miller against the wall with his telekinetic magic.

"Sans…" Frisk breathed. "I didn't know you were so strong."

Flowey laughed to himself. Frisk had no idea.

Sans shrugged. "What? I'm actually the weakest monster. I can only deal one damage."

"One damage my ass," Miller groaned, earning him another slam against the floor.

"Oh, were you saying something?" Sans asked. "Sorry, I don't speak child murderer. Didn't take that elective."

"Who killed her?" Miller asked. "Who killed Felicia?"

Flowey wrapped a vine around Miller's neck. This minor inconvenience was annoying him. He wanted to squash him like the insect he was. "Why should we tell you anything?" he snarled.

Chara grabbed his vine. "Hey, don't hurt him!"

Flowey shot her a strange look. "Why do you care? He just tried to kill you."

Chara paused. "I... I don't know."

Hmm, was it Felicia's soul? Maybe Chara was feeling some of her emotions. That would explain why she was calling him 'Nate.' Interesting. He retracted his vine, but Sans kept him pinned to the wall.

Meanwhile, Frisk scowled at Miller. He walked up to him and slapped his face. "Don't try that again," Frisk growled.

"Or what?" Miller asked. "What'll you..."

Frisk pulled out Chara's knife and held it to Miller's throat. "Don't underestimate me."

Flowey gaped in shock. Frisk probably wasn't going to kill him, but the fury that burned in his dark red eyes would have made Asriel soil himself. Frisk really didn't like it when someone hurt his friends, especially Chara.

Miller gave a respectful huff. "Huh, maybe you are tougher than I gave credit for."

Frisk stepped back. "Alright, Sans. Let him down."

"You sure?" Sans asked.

Frisk picked up Miller's gun. "Yeah, it's fine."

Sans dropped him, but Frisk kept Miller's pistol pointed at him. "No sudden moves," Frisk ordered.

Miller laughed. "Frisk pulling a gun on someone; who would have thought?"

"What?" Frisk asked. "Deterrence is a form of pacifism, isn't it?"

Miller furrowed his brow. "Who killed Felicia?"

Chara frowned. "We don't know," she said, "but we're trying to find out. Through Felicia's soul, I have been experiencing some of her memories. So far, I've witnessed the murder of her brother."

"Jacob?" Miller asked. "Someone killed him, too? Why?"

"Probably to demoralize her," Chara said, "and it may very well have worked."

He grimaced. "So, that's what really happened. Someone used her brother against her."

"Miller," Frisk said, "please, if you know anything at all, it would be a huge help. We want to find out the truth behind this."

Miller sighed. "Alright," he said. "There is one thing I know. We've interrogated those terrorists that abducted you. All their leader said about the soul was that it had been given to them by a 'generous benefactor' who 'finally handed it over.'"

Finally? Then, that means…

"Melty was involved in Felicia's death," Chara said.

Miller snickered. "Melty? That's what you called him?"

"You know his real name?" Flowey asked.

Miller shook his head. "No, it was kind of hard to identify a puddle."

"Melty it is then!" Frisk said.

Miller cracked a smile, but it shortly faded. "I can't believe this," he muttered. "All these years, I thought a virus was responsible for Felicia's death. I never had any idea it was murder… Agh!" He furiously shook his fists. "They played us like a damn fiddle!"

"Hey, take it easy," Flowey said. "I'm not sure what fiddles have to do with this, but I know what it's like to lose someone."

Miller sighed. "I think deep down, I always knew there was more to it. Something always bothered me about Felicia's death. Something I've forgotten, yet can't forget. It's like a phantom pain that won't go away. I know you can't forgive me after what I did, but I need to know who did this."

Flowey raised an eyebrow. "Does that mean you won't try to kill my sister?"

Miller's yellowed eyes shifted nervously. "I'm... not sure what to say. I realize that I may have gotten a 'little' carried away back there, but yes, I would like to form a truce if it means finding Felicia's killer."

Frisk kept his gun pointed at him. "You promise not to hurt Chara?"

Miller looked at Chara. "I don't like you," he said. "You tried to kill a lot people, but... I also believe that people can change. If you help me, then maybe I can at least tolerate you."

Chara nodded. "I promise I will do everything I can to bring Felicia's killers to justice, and if at all possible, I will save Felicia. You have my word."

"Alright," Miller said. "I'll hold you to that."

Frisk smiled. He flipped over Miller's pistol and handed it back to him. "Okay," Frisk said. "I forgive you."

Flowey slapped himself. Damn Frisk, way too quick to forgive.

Miller shook his head. "You're insane," he said. "I just tried to murder your lover, and you're already forgiving me?"

Undyne gasped. "Wait, what?!"

"Well, it's not so easy," Frisk said. "I can't stand seeing Chara get hurt, but I can't blame you for wanting your friend back."

Miller frowned. "For what it's worth, I'm sorry."

Frisk kept smiling. "Apology accepted!"

"I could never hate you, Nate," Chara said.

Miller raised an eyebrow. "Umm..."

Chara held her head. "I... don't know why I said that, but I do forgive you. I have committed far worse crimes, after all."

"Felicia?" Miller breathed. "Are you in there?"

Chara shook her head. "Not exactly, but I do appear to be experiencing some residual emotions."

Miller gave a disappointed frown. "Oh."

They may have forgiven him, but Flowey wasn't going to let his guard down. If Miller tried anything, Flowey was going to have some fun with him.

Undyne got back up. "Well, looks like we're done here."

"Are you all right, Undyne?" Frisk asked.

"Of course I'm all right! It'll take more than one hit to kill me!" She smiled. "So, you and Chara, huh?"

Frisk smiled back. "Yep!"

Chara held his hand. "Yes, Frisk and I have recently agreed to be a couple. You should have seen his confession; it was so touching."

"Uh, Chara?" Frisk said. "I believe you're the one who confessed."

She smirked. "Come on, Frisk. 'I might start wanting a bit more?' That was as good a confession as any!"

"Yes, start wanting a bit more. I didn't say I wanted you now!"

"Well, you certainly sounded very interested."

Frisk kissed her cheek. "Yes, I am."

Flowey rolled his eyes, but he had to admit, Asriel probably would have found them cute, albeit extremely embarrassing. Just like Mom and Dad used to be.

Chara blushed. "Hey, now. You realize we have an audience, no?"

"I'm not ashamed," Frisk said.

"Aww, how sweet," Undyne said. "Makes me want to see Alphys again." She grinned. "In fact, why don't we all go out to celebrate? My treat!"

"That sounds great!" Frisk exclaimed. "That is, if it's okay with you, Asriel. This is still your day."

"Well, you did do what I asked you," Flowey said. "I guess we can take a break now. We can discuss what we've learned there."

"Wanna hit Grillby's?" Sans asked.

"Sure!" Frisk said.

"It's settled then!" Undyne said. "Me, Alphys, Frisk, Chara, Asriel, and Sans to Grillby's!"

Frisk looked at Miller. "Want to join us?" he asked. "You have to follow me anyway. Might as well."

Really, Frisk? Flowey thought. Forgiving him is one thing, but inviting him to lunch? Ugh.

Miller shrugged. "Sure, why not?"

"Alright!" Frisk chirped. "Let's go!"

They started to leave. As they did, Sans grabbed Frisk's arm. Flowey listened closely.

"What is it, Sans?" Frisk asked.

"I hope you know what you're doing, kid," he whispered.

"What? Nate's cool. Well, you know, when his temper's in control."

"I wasn't talking about him."

Frisk looked confused at first, then he scowled at him. "Chara's not a threat to anybody."

After an awkward pause, Sans laughed it off. "Hey, lighten up! You know I like to joke around!"

Yeah, that was not a joke, and Frisk knew it. Sans could be such a creep sometimes.

Chara, who hadn't seemed to have overheard, ran to Frisk and tugged on his arm. "Come on, Frisk! Are you stopping to smell the flowers? Let's go!"

Frisk smiled. "Right behind you!"

After another day of almost dying, they went to Grillby's for a much-needed break.

"Hey!" Campbell called out. "Anybody? We're still stuck here."

"It's gotta wear off eventually," Clark said. "It wears off, right?"

Campbell sighed. "Help! We've fallen and we can't get up!"

Chapter Text

I don't want to set the world on fire

I just want to start a flame in your heart

In my heart I have but one desire

And that one is you, no other will do

What was with all this old music?

Flowey followed the others into Grillby's. He still felt like they were wasting time. For all they knew, Boaris could have been absorbing souls at that very moment. Hopefully, they could at least plan their next move while they were there, and maybe try to get more information out of Miller.

Sans walked to the bar. "Hey, Grillby. Your favorite song is playing."

As usual, Grillby said nothing and pretended to clean the counter.

"I know, right?" Sans said. "It's so insensitive. They got a problem with fire or something?"

Grillby remained silent.

Sans kept talking. "So, funny thing happened today. Frisk's bodyguard almost killed Chara. Something about bringing his friend back from the dead or whatever. He hurt Chara and Undyne pretty bad. I had to step in and calm him down. No big deal, though."

Not even that elicited words from Grillby, and Flowey knew he was capable of speech.

"No, Frisk is pretty much cool with it," Sans answered. "He even invited him to lunch with us. Say hello, Miller."

Unamused, Miller just grunted.

"Yes, he should watch his manners," Sans agreed. "Anyway, we'll all have burgers."

Grillby nodded and quickly got them their food. They went to an empty booth and sat down.

"So," Undyne said, "how's everyone doing?"

"It would not have been the first time I've died," Chara answered. "What about you? He hit you rather hard."

Alphys shot Miller an angry look.

"I told you, I'm fine!" Undyne exclaimed. "And I meant, how have you been?"

"Oh, we're doing great," Flowey said. "You know, aside from the fact that we're all screwed."

Chara sighed. "No, we have not been all right. Just yesterday, Nora killed Asriel. Frisk reset, of course, but she did kill him."

Miller turned his head. "Wait, what?"

"Ah, yes," Chara said. "Nate, your evil sister killed Asriel."

"H-hey!" Miller exclaimed. "I said I would stop insulting you, so don't insult my sister! I know Nora can act a little… spirited, but she's not evil."

"Oh, really?" Chara asked. "She killed Asriel and laughed about it. She even took a picture of his corpse! She is a sadistic psychopath."

Miller folded his arms. "Like how you poisoned Asgore and laughed about it?"

Chara winced. "I did not intend to poison my father."

"Then why laugh?"

"To be fair," Sans said, "it was a good pun. Buttercups, heh. Sounds like something I would do."

"Because that's just how Chara was," Flowey said. "She always told me that big kids don't cry. She couldn't cry, so she laughed."

Miller nodded. "Yeah, sure… I think Chara and my sister have more in common than you realize. I bet she said the same thing, didn't she?"

Flowey resisted the urge to strangle him. "My sister is nothing like your sister!"

Miller raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Sounds like I struck a nerve."

"Shut up!"

"Hey, no fighting!" Frisk exclaimed. "But Nate, Malcom and Boaris really are planning something horrible. Asriel, tell him what you saw."

Flowey laughed. "Oh, I'll tell you! I saw Malcom himself meet up with Boaris."

"And what were you doing there?" Miller asked. "I imagine it wasn't to join them for a friendly cup of tea."

"Irrelevant!" Flowey said. "So, as I was observing them, Malcom told Boaris that it was time to stop playing around and show everyone how strong monsters really are. He was just about to give him the details before Nora spotted me out of nowhere, despite my perfect stealth tactics!"

Miller scoffed. "Tactical espionage is clearly not your strong suit."

Flowey scoffed."My stealth skills are unparalleled, thank you! I spied on Frisk through the entire underground and he had no idea!"

Frisk stifled a laugh. Oh, screw him!

"Are you convinced yet?" Chara asked. "Malcom made it perfectly clear. Left unchecked, he would allow Boaris to become as a god. This cannot continue."

"Why, Chara," Miller said, "I'd think you'd love this plan."

"Well, Malcom seems to love it," Flowey sniped.

Miller frowned. "I never thought he'd go this far. He's never been the same since Felicia died, none of us have, but this? This is madness."

"Glad you agree," Chara said.

"But," Miller said, "he's not wrong about how dangerous monsters are. They could kill us all if they wanted to. However, that's exactly why we can't antagonize them. Between our lack of mages, the invincible amalgamates, and people like Chara, another war couldn't possibly end well for us."

And Sans, Flowey thought. He could probably destroy humanity single-handedly, assuming he bothers to lift a finger.

"Damn right!" Undyne exclaimed. "We're not gonna give up the surface so easily this time! So Malcom better not try anything stupid!"

Miller stood up. "Look, I'll talk to Jacob. This must be some kind of misunderstanding. He can't really be planning what you think he is."

Flowey couldn't believe him. "You can't be serious. I know what I saw, and not even Frisk would be able to talk this guy down."

Miller sighed. "If it turns out you're right… I'll do everything I can to help you."

Chara sounded surprised. "Truly? You would betray your own friend?"

Miller nodded. "If what you say is true, he betrayed Felicia. She died because she believed in peace, and Jacob is spitting on her grave."

"And you do?" Chara asked. "You believe in peace?"

"I didn't," Miller admitted, "but now, it's the only choice we have."

That probably wasn't how Frisk wanted to win people over. He wanted to earn humanity's trust, not terrify them into submission with fear, but it seemed to do the trick for Miller. Whatever worked, right? That was Flowey's philosophy.

"Nate," Chara said, "this may sound strange coming from someone you tried to kill recently, but… you're not so bad."

Miller laughed. "I'm in Chara's good graces? That's a high honor for a human, isn't it?"

Chara smiled. "Yes, you should be proud of it."

"Hmm… maybe you're not so bad, either."

It was a crazy idea, but if Malcom was set on giving Boaris human souls, they didn't have much time. They needed to act now. Hopefully, Miller was just what they needed to catch Malcom off guard.

"All right," Flowey said. "Go try this your way, but don't come crying to me when it blows up in your face."

"But, Nate," Chara said, "if this turns violent, you might have to face Nora."

Miller sighed. "I know..."

Ring! Ring!

Suddenly, Miller's phone rang. "Speak of the devil." He picked up. "Sir?"

"Miller," Malcom said, "I need a situation report. Where is Frisk?"

Malcom? This had to be juicy. Flowey listened closely.

"Frisk is currently at home," Miller lied.

"Good, that's all."

"Wait! Jacob, can we talk? In person?"

"… I'm afraid that's not possible."

Miller shifted nervously. "Sir?"

"Agent Miller," Malcom said, "are you certain that Frisk is home at this time?"

"O-of course, sir. I would never give you bad intel."

"… yes, of course," Malcom said. "You're a good solider, Nate. Your parents must be proud."

"Th-thank you, sir," Miller stammered. "Umm, if I may ask, what do you need Frisk's location for?"

"Not your concern. In fact, I'm relieving you of your duty for the day."

"What?! Uh, I mean, understood, but I trust Frisk is secure?"

"Yes, don't worry, Nate. In the end, everything will be all right. Goodbye." Malcom hung up.

"Uh, yeah…" Flowey said. "I'm gonna go out on a limb here and assume that's bad."

"U-uh, yeah," Alphys said. "You don't think he's... going after Frisk, do you?"

"If he is, joke's on him!" Undyne exclaimed. "He thinks you're… home…"

Chara gasped. "Mother!" She took out her phone and called Toriel.

Toriel answered. "Greetings, my child!"

"Mother, are you home?"

"Why, yes. I am home. Will you return soon?"

"Umm, yes. Could you pick us up? We are at Grillby's."

"Certainty! Just let me finish watering these flowers." Toriel sighed wistfully. "I am not nearly as talented at this as your father."

Chara's voice grew more urgent. "My apologies, Mother, but I need you to leave the house as quickly as possible."

"Patience, my child! I am happy to assist you, but it is rude to –"

"Mother! The truth is, I do not feel it is safe for you to be home right now."

Toriel was shocked. "What? What danger could possibly befall our home?"

"I think… someone wants to hurt Frisk."

Toriel sighed. "Chara, I know Frisk was abducted once, but he must not allow it to take over his life. I am sorry, but I must say, you have always had difficulty trusting others. While it is important to avoid being naïve, it is also important to –"

"Please, Mother! Get out of there!"

"Chara…"

Frisk picked up the phone. "I think she's right. I would feel much better if you left home for now."

"What are you worried about, exactly?" Toriel asked.

"Umm… I think the President wants to kill me." Frisk cringed as he realized how ridiculous he sounded.

Judging by her voice, Toriel clearly thought they were crazy. "Umm… well… yes, that is troubling, indeed. I shall make my way to Grillby's as swiftly as possible, all right?"

"Please do, Mother," Chara said.

"Be good, all right?" Toriel hung up.

Chara still sounded afraid. "I hope she gets out safely."

"I hope she's right, though," Frisk said. "I hope we're just being paranoid."

Flowey wasn't counting on that.

A few moments later, Miller's phone rang again. He picked up. "Umm, sir?"

It wasn't Malcom. "Agent Miller, I sincerely wish you hadn't lied to us."

That voice... Boaris? Oh, no…

"This really complicates things for everyone," Boaris said. "I assume Frisk is nearby. Put him on, would you kindly?"

Miller complied. Frisk took the phone. "Hello?"

"Salutations, Frisk," Boaris said. "Please meet us at your residence as soon as you are able."

Flowey took the phone. "How about no?"

"I was afraid you might say that," Boaris said. "I do hate to resort to such measures, but…"

Over the phone, they heard Toriel screaming.

Chara clenched her teeth. "Let her go, you bastard!"

"I assure you," Boaris said. "I do not wish to make Toriel suffer any more than necessary. Simply arrive home, and she will be harmed no longer."

"Or…" Flowey said, "Frisk can, you know…"

Frisk nodded. "Right." He closed his eyes…

LOAD FAILED

Frisk grimaced. "I can't…"

Damn it, no!

Chara's eyes were filled with dread. "Frisk, you really can't…?"

Frisk shook his head. "I'm not in control anymore."

Chara started shaking. "N-no, he couldn't have…"

"Please don't keep us waiting." Boaris hung up.

It had happened that quickly. In a matter of minutes, Boaris had become a god.

Miller buried his face into his hands. "Looks like you were right after all." He pulled out his radio, and he ordered his squad to lockdown Toriel's house and prepare for a hostage situation. Meanwhile, Flowey looked around to see how every else was handling this.

Alphys was drenched in sweat. "H-how could Boaris do this?"

Undyne gritted her teeth and shouted obscenities, while Sans just sat there in silence. Chara turned towards the door. "We have to help Mother." She started to run, but Sans grabbed her arm.

"Kid, how do you plan on stopping a god?"

Chara struggled to break free. "We have to! We've done it before! We can –"

Sans violently threw Chara into the wall. Some bystanders gasped in shock, while others cheered.

"Sans, what the hell?!" Flowey shouted. He didn't understand. It took some serious effort to provoke Sans. Why was he attacking now?

Chara got back up and tried to run away. Sans sent a magic bone racing after her, and it went right through her knee. Chara fell down and cried out in pain. Her leg bled out on the wooden floor, and several people kept cheering Sans on, thrilled to see Chara bleed.

Frisk grabbed him. "Sans, stop!"

Sans shoved Frisk away and walked over Chara. "You can't beat Boaris. You can't even beat me."

Chara looked up at Sans. Her red eyes glowed with anger, literally. Her eyes were glowing. That was definitely not normal. "Is that a challenge?" she venomously said.

Sans hollowed out his eye sockets. "So, it is you."

Bystanders murmured all around the restaurant.

"What's wrong with her eyes?"

"God, she really is a demon."

"I could turn you to dust, Sans," Chara growled. "Get out of my way."

Flowey didn't know what Sans was talking about, but he knew fighting him was a bad idea. Well, he was far from invincible. After lots of resets and lots of patience, Flowey was able to kill Sans, but resets weren't a luxury they had anymore. Oh, and not to mention murder was wrong. Almost forgot.

Frisk jumped between them. "Stop it, both of you! Now is no time to fight each other! Toriel needs our help!"

"Don't get me wrong," Sans said. "I don't like this one bit, but the fact is, there's nothing we can do about it."

"Don't say that!" Frisk shouted. "We can't give up!"

Flowey scowled. "Yes, it's just like you to give up in the end. If you can't blast it away, your solution to every problem is literally nothing. You're pathetic, Sans."

"Listen," Sans said, "I don't know exactly what Boaris is up to, but what I do know, is that he wants Frisk. So, the best thing we can do is not give him what he wants, understand?"

Frisk shook his head. "No, I can't run and hide from this. I know he's powerful, but I can't stand by and let him hurt Toriel."

"Wait, what's going on?" a bystander asked.

"Why is Toriel in trouble?"

Chara got back on her feet and continued to glare at Sans. "Yes, how can you stand here and do nothing while he hurts Toriel? Do you not care about her? Are you truly content to remain idle while she suffers?"

"I thought she was your friend," Flowey said. "I guess you really are just a worthless slacker."

Whatever was going on in Sans's head, it was impossible to see through his perpetual smile. "You know," Sans said, "it must be real nice, coming back from the dead. People would kill for that power, heh."

Flowey didn't understand. "Huh? What does that have to do with this?"

He sighed. "I tried so hard to fix it. I applied everything I knew, everything he had taught me. I tried everything, but it's impossible. There's no way the machine can be fixed. They're all gone forever. Nothing can save them."

Alphys whimpered sadly.

"Sans, what are you talking about?" Frisk asked.

"Ah, forget it," Sans said. "The point is, not everyone can be saved. It doesn't matter how hard you try. It doesn't matter how 'determined' you are. Some things are beyond our power. Sometimes, you just have to swallow your pride and give up."

Gee, Sans was a real ray of sunshine today.

"N-no…" Chara said. "That's… that's quitter talk! Sure, maybe we can't always bring back the dead, but Mother is not dead! We can still save her!"

Sans shrugged. "Chances are… Boaris will kill her as soon as you show up."

Frisk stepped towards him. "And if we don't?"

Sans didn't answer.

"They're right!" Undyne yelled. "We have to do something!"

Sans closed his eye sockets. "I don't want to give Boaris what he wants," he said, "but I don't want Tori to get hurt, either."

"If we don't do something, more people than Toriel could die," Chara said.

Flowey knew how to push his buttons. "If we don't do something," he said, "Papyrus could die, and you will have done nothing to save him."

Sans sighed. "Alright. If we're gonna do this, let's hurry up." He glanced around the room. "Everyone who's coming, stay close to me."

Flowey, Frisk, Chara, Undyne, Alphys, and Miller huddled up close to Sans.

"Alphys, you're not coming!" Undyne yelled.

"Y-yes, I am!" she said. "I'm not letting you go without me!"

"You're not a fighter, Alphys!"

"I don't care!"

Undyne groaned. "Fine, but don't you dare die on me!"

"Ready?" Sans asked.

"As ready as we can be," Frisk answered.

Sans looked at Grillby. "Sorry we're letting the food cool again," he said, referencing the uneaten burgers on their table. "We'll come back another time, okay?"

Grillby nodded.

"You too," Sans replied. "Welp, here we go." Sans walked out of Grillby's, and just like that, they were in front of Toriel's house. Flowey felt like he was going to puke. He had never gotten used to Sans's teleportation powers.

"Take it slow," Miller warned. "When the enemy has a hostage, the last thing we want is –"

Chara sprinted straight for the front door. She opened it, and they all followed her inside to the foyer. Nothing was immediately out of the ordinary. The lights were on and the house was clean, no sign of forced entry or a struggle. They followed Chara into the dining room. Inside was Toriel, with deep burn marks on her face. Her wrists were strapped down to her reading chair by magical bindings. It was times like these where Flowey was glad he didn't have his soul.

"Mother!" Chara shouted. She and Frisk ran to her side. "Are you okay?" Chara asked.

Toriel groaned. "I am sorry for doubting you, my child."

"It's okay, Mother," Chara said. "Let's just get you out of here."

Frisk tried to undo the bindings, but the magic was too strong. His hands burned with intense heat on contact. "Agh, damn it!"

Chara looked around. "Boaris! Show yourself, you disgusting creature!"

Suddenly, Boaris appeared out of nowhere. Flowey didn't see anything usual about him. He looked completely normal. "There you are," Boaris said. "I have a favor to -"

Sans surrounded him with all his blasters and wasted no time firing, but like he said, it was futile. Boaris's body absorbed the deadly beams, leaving him without a scratch.

"Welp, I tried," Sans said. "Time for Plan B. Just like the flower said, it's literally nothing."

"How?" Chara asked. "How did you get those souls?"

"It was simple, really," Boaris answered. "After I absorbed Mr. Malcom's soul, obtaining the remaining six required was trivial. I'm afraid that his security forces were no match for me."

Frisk whimpered. "Why? What could possibly be worth killing those people?"

Chara clenched her fists. "You called me a murderer for what I did to Asriel, but now here you stand, guilty of the same sin you've condemned me for. How can you go against your own word so easily? Do you not feel any shame for what you've done?"

"Chara…" Boaris said, "the truth is, I bear no ill-will against you."

Chara gasped. "What?"

"You were right, Chara. Humans and monster cannot be trusted to live peacefully. As I shall soon demonstrate, our power is far too dangerous. There is room for only one of our races on the surface. However, I will not commit genocide against either race. There is only one solution: we must go back where we belong. We must once again be sealed underground."

Chara shook her head. "No! I was wrong! Humanity has changed! It will not end up like last time!"

"It is possible," Boaris admitted, "but is that a risk you're willing to take?"

Chara lowered her head in shame. "I once said the same thing. When we arrived at my old village, I told Asriel that we could not take the risk of making peace with humanity. How did we know they would not just wipe us out again? I was not willing to risk my family's future over humanity. So, I tried to make my brother wage war against the entire race."

She took a deep breath. "However, I've learned that some risks are worth taking. Climbing a mountain, joining a new family, admitting my feelings to the person I love, these are all risks I have taken. It's true that a lot of terrible things happened as a result of my decisions, but I've also gained so many priceless memories from them. Toriel, Asgore, Asriel… Frisk. They have all shown me so much kindness. So, for them, I'll take the risk of trusting humanity, and I shall face the consequences."

Frisk swooned. "Oh, Chara…"

"Uh… hey, Chara?" Flowey said. "I see you're really pushing for that Academy Award, but I don't see how this is helping."

"Indeed," Boaris said. "It matters not what pretty words you devise to stop me. I shall not be swayed. I've witnessed how the first war started. My own child was responsible for it. Yet, even if it were not for my daughter, it was only a matter of time until some other monster absorbed a human soul." Boaris floated into the air. "Now, allow me to show you exactly what we monsters are capable of."

He started with Sans. With a flick of his wrist, Boaris tore Sans in half with pure magical energy. Ketchup sprayed across the room, and Sans immediately turned to dust.

"SANS!" Frisk screamed.

"DIE!" Undyne threw her spears at Boaris like a machine gun, but of course, they were powerless against Boaris's infinite defense. Boaris summoned his axe in his right hand and vertically sliced Undyne in half. As Alphys screamed, Boaris swung his axe again and chopped her head off. Undyne and Alphys both turned to dust. Miller raised his pistol and pointlessly fired. Boaris held out his hand, and Miller was engulfed in flames. He screamed, and soon, his yellow soul hovered over his charred corpse. Boaris absorbed it.

Frisk, Chara, and Toriel could only watch in horror as the scene played out, but Flowey could only feel a sick sense of amusement. He had to admit, Boaris had some style.

"P-please," Toriel whimpered, "at the very least, do not harm my children."

Boaris floated next to Toriel and gave her a pat on the shoulder. "Do not worry. They will not be harmed."

Boaris lodged his axe inside Toriel's head. She took one final look at her children before she turned to dust. As she did, her gray soul floated into the air. With a swing of his axe, Boaris destroyed it.

Frisk prostrated himself on the floor and sobbed. Flowey just sat there, unsure how to feel. Chara stared at Boaris with a mix of sorrow and contempt in her eyes. "Why are you sparing us? At this point, killing us is the act of mercy."

Boaris nodded. "It is, and I am truly sorry that I cannot even grant you that."

"Wh-what do you want with us?" Frisk asked.

"The three of you are to be my witnesses, the few who will truly remember the tragedy that will have been. I must send you somewhere safe while I… do what must be done."

"Y-you're going to make us watch?" Chara asked. "Is there no end to your cruelty?"

"It will pass," Boaris promised. "In time."

Boaris waved his hand and cast a spell. Flowey felt himself teleport to... some other place. He looked around, Frisk and Chara were there too. They were in a mysterious room with purple walls and a blue floor. Inside the room was some rope, some fabric, a jigsaw puzzle, a refrigerator, a bulky computer, and a familiar white dog fast asleep on the floor.

"Where are we?" Frisk asked.

Flowey noticed that the door looked familiar. A wooden, purple door with the Delta Rune on it. It was the other side of that door Flowey never could get past. "We're underground, near Snowdin."

Chara clawed her fingers into her skull. "Mother..."

The computer screen turned on. It displayed a live feed of Ebott City's sprawling skyline, with Boaris hovering over it. He expanded his body, to the point where the entire city was looking at him. Boaris stretched out his hands…

… and the whole city caught fire.

Chara's whole body was shaking. "W-well, I guess you could say he has a burning ambition."

"Really, Chara?!" Flowey shouted. "Now is NOT the time for puns!"

She was barley keeping it together. "Wh-what? I'm a funny girl. Besides, it's not like I like humans or anything. Wh-why would I care if Boaris kills a few…"

But, it wasn't just humans Boaris was attacking. His flames spread throughout the city indiscriminately. Humans and monsters alike were caught in the raging inferno. The screen changed angles to show their horrified faces and cries of agony as they burned. It was like watching some kind of sick and twisted anime. Dust and burnt corpses piled up on the streets. Flowey thought he was sadistic enough, but this was on a whole other level. Why was Boaris killing them in such a needlessly cruel manner? Why didn't he just nuke the city with a giant energy beam or something?

He was sick.

"I can't watch this," Frisk muttered. "Yet, I can't stop watching. How could anyone do something so horrible?"

"N-not even I would have done this," Chara said. "If I had my way, I would have made it as quick as possible. I wouldn't have made them suffer like this."

Flowey didn't understand. Boaris said he didn't want to commit genocide against either race, so what the hell did he call this? If nothing else, he was definitely getting his point across. Flowey could see the regret in the humans' dying eyes, regret for allowing the barrier to be broken. They were all at Boaris's mercy, and he had none to give.

The monsters screamed in shock, terror, and confusion. This power was universally hated by monsterkind. They couldn't fathom how any monster could do such a thing. They could probably understand him using it against humanity, but them? They couldn't understand. Flowey saw so many familiar faces in pain. Monster Kid, Muffet, the River Person, Lesser Dog, Greater Dog, Bratty, Catty… Papyrus.

"Sans, where are you?" Papyrus called out. "Don't tell me you're sleeping through this! We need to –"

Papyrus went up in flames. He died calling for his brother.

Frisk laid down on the ground, mortified beyond tears. The world had become nothing more than a toy for Boaris to manipulate as he pleased. "Wh-why?" Frisk sobbed.

As the flames rose above the city's skyline, a face emerged in the fire. Flowey gaped as he saw it, Grillby. His eyes fixated on Boaris with an angry scowl. Could he...?

From the palm of his hand, Boaris fired at bolt of lightning at Grillby, and he collapsed into dust.

So much for that.

"I-is there nothing that can stop him?" Frisk asked.

"Wait," Chara said, "there are safeguards against this, no? In the event of an atrocity such as this, the Human-Monster Embassy agreed that another monster shall be given human souls to combat the threat. Boaris was the first, but he is not the only one."

Maybe there was hope after all. "Ah, that's right!" Flowey said. "But, who is next in line?"

A glimmer of hope sparkled in Frisk's eyes. "A true hero."

It wasn't much longer until he appeared. Through the rising flames, a monster of Boaris's size approached. He had green skin, was wearing some kind of armored shell, and one of his yellow eyes was missing. In his hands was a massive golden war hammer that looked like a fine match for Boaris's battle axe.

No way, that old fool?

Before Boaris stood Gerson, the Hammer of Justice.

Ugh… wh-where am I?

Nate struggled to assess his surroundings, but all he could see was blackness. He couldn't feel his body. What happened to him?

Right, Boaris...

Nate tried to move, but there was nothing but darkness around him. Yet, he knew he was somewhere. He was thinking, so he wasn't in oblivion. Boaris had absorbed his soul, hadn't he? Was he being used as a power source for that madman? Nate would have preferred humanity's worst interpretations of hell over that.

Eventually, Nate felt other presences nearby. Glowing in the void, he saw the seven other souls that Boaris had absorbed. One of the souls, a purple soul, floated close to him, and he heard a familiar voice.

"Brother…?"

"Nora?"

From her soul, a projection of Nora appeared, and Nate felt his own soul create a projection of himself. He knew his body wasn't real, yet it still felt real. Nate looked at Nora. At first, he was overjoyed to see his sister, but…

Nora frowned. "Nate, I…"

"Nora…" Nate breathed. "You knew this was coming, didn't you? You let this happen."

She nodded pitifully.

Nate furrowed his brow. "Why?!"

"You heard what Boaris said," Nora answered. "As we speak, he is showing everyone exactly why the monsters never should have left the underground."

Another light filled the void. Nate turned and saw a sort of window into the real world. The horror on the other side was unspeakable. Through Boaris's eyes, he saw Ebott City burning in flames.

Nate couldn't believe this. He clenched his fists. "What kind of twisted logic is this? You're afraid of a monster absorbing human souls, so you let a monster absorb human souls? What were you thinking?!"

Anger welled up in Nora's purple eyes. "How else are we going to make them understand?! Those arrogant monsters believe their souls are made of love and compassion, but humans? No, it was humans, not monsters, who have proven their souls don't need these things to exist. They think they're better than us. They say that we are the only threat to this world. And the worst part? So many humans believe them! Where was all that love and compassion when they declared war on all of humanity? We've seen them hate. We've seen them spite. We've seen them kill. Despite this, they want you to believe that every single one of them is an innocent cinnamon roll who would never dare seek power. Even that is true today, how do we know that not a single one of their children will turn out to be – perhaps literally – a sick dog that needs to be put down?!"

Nate froze. He had never realized just how strongly Nora felt about all this. "But, what if Boaris is that sick dog?" he asked.

"… then," Nora said, "let him burn this worthless world to ash."

"N-Nora! You can't mean that!"

Nora clutched her chest. "I... I understand why you're angry This is exactly what I'm fighting to prevent, but we do have our reasons. It's like injecting a vaccine. Introduce a weakened form of the disease, so the body will know how to fight it."

Nate pointed at the burning city. "This is weakened? This is holding back?"

"It is!" Nora yelled. "When Boaris is done, he'll allow Frisk to reset, but in the back of everyone's mind, they'll know what happened. They'll know that monsters are too dangerous to live with humanity. If we don't do something, this will happen again, permanently."

Nate grimaced. "Well, this is one hell of a way to prove a point."

Nora laughed. "Yes, I suppose it is." She frowned. "Don't get me wrong, I'm... not proud of this, but what right do I have to complain? I knew exactly what I was getting into, but... when I saw you die... I don't think I fully realized just how bad this would be. But, I guess it's a little late to say 'sorry,' isn't it?"

Nate didn't know what to think. Part of him said Nora was right.; he couldn't just forgive her so easily. The rest of him, however, was screaming at him to comfort her.

Yeah, she's right. Look outside, it's too late for  apologies.

She's your sister! Do something!

The former part won. "When I died, huh?" He pointed at the burning city. "You had no problem with this, but my death is where you draw the line?"

"I mean, I never liked this plan," Nora said. "We both know a monster with human souls is the last thing I'd want, but that's exactly why we had to show them. Everyone needs to experience what will happen if we don't do something about these monsters."

"Nora, I understand that you're afraid of them, but… this is too much. This is insane."

Nora laughed sadly. "Yeah, that's me, an insane lunatic. Jacob told me how much I enjoyed killing Asriel, so why am I not enjoying this? One person, one thousand, one million, billions, what's the difference? I'm a killer either way."

Yeah, she is.

NO!

Nate shook his head. "Nora, no! It's not like that! You fight to protect what you love, not because you enjoy killing!"

"How can you be so sure?" Nora asked. "In my service, I've killed dozens of the Government's enemies. They were all criminals, terrorists, but I always felt so satisfied when I cut them down. That feeling of power is irresistible to me, so why should this be any different?"

"Hey, I've killed people too," Nate said. "I know how you feel. My first kill used to haunt me relentlessly. He was a terrorists, but the sight of his bloody head wouldn't leave me. However, as I kept killing, it got easier. It became natural. By now, I'm more likely to feel relieved when I kill an enemy, and I can't say I don't feel a sense of pride in my skills. It's not just you."

"But," Nora said, "have you ever helped someone destroy the entire world?"

Nate's heart sunk into the abyss. "Boaris is going to... the whole world?!"

Nora sniffled. "Not permanently, but yes. Boaris is going to kill every last person on Earth, human and monster. Well, almost everyone. He's going to destroy almost everyone in the world, just to prove a point." She laughed. "Do you think that's going too far?"

"Umm… yeah," Nate said. "I'd say that's going way too far."

Nora nodded. "There is something else that's gotten to my head. Chara… I could see it in her eyes; she really does believe in peace now. Haha, I thought we were two sides of the same coin, but it turns out I was wrong. She's changed. I… I guess even a demon can be a better person than me."

"Nora…"

She wiped her eyes. "N-no, I won't…"

Nate hugged her, resting her head on his shoulder. "Let it out, Nora."

Her magical tears fell and shattered across the void. "I'm so sorry. If such a place exists, I know I'm going to hell for this."

"Hey," Nate said. "I can't blame you for being scared. In your defense…" He took another look at the burning world outside. "Monsters are god damn terrifying."

"Haha… don't pull a Frisk on me. Reset or no reset, you can't possibly forgive me for letting you burn to death."

Nate smiled. "Maybe the world would be better if more people were like Frisk, or maybe they'd just get taken advantage of. I don't know."

Nora smiled back. "I always hated the World Master thing, but I wish we could just go back to playing in that field with Jacob and Felicia, long before all this happened."

"Me too, Nora."

Nora let go, and another familiar voice spoke to them. "Well, isn't this touching."

Nate turned to face him. "Jacob, we need to stop this, now."

Jacob glared at him with his red eyes. "No, we can't stop."

Nate shook his fists. "Do you feel no shame for this?"

"It is unfortunate," Jacob said, "but no. I feel no remorse for doing what must be done." He looked at Nora. "I'm not surprised about Nate, but I never realized you would change your mind so easily."

"I take it back," Nora said. "I just want to go back to playing in that field with my brother and Felicia. You can rot in this void for all eternity."

"Now that's not very fair," Jacob said. "Not even an hour ago, you were on my side."

Nora shrugged. "What can I say? Life isn't fair."

"I like to think there is some form of karma in this world," Jacob said.

"Uh-huh…" Nate said. "Then, why are you letting Boaris burn it? I doubt that'll get you good karma."

"Because if he doesn't, another monster may one day burn it for real. Nora just explained that. Weren't you listening?"

Nate looked at him with disgust. "You're not the solution; you're the problem. What would your sister think of you now?"

"It doesn't matter," Jacob said. "She's dead now. She had to die."

Nate's yellow eyes widened. "Jacob… don't tell me you…"

Jacob shook his head. "No, but regardless, her death was necessary. If she'd had her way, we'd all be dead by now."

Nate considered telling him what he learned, but… he decided it was best not to give away Chara's secret until she was ready.

"How can you say that?" Nora asked. "She was your sister! Felicia and I didn't exactly agree on everything, but we were friends! I never wished death upon her!"

"Felicia had to die," Jacob repeated.

Nate tried to punch him, but his fist flew right through his magical body, causing Jacob no harm.

"Wow, he really wants to hurt you, Jacob," Nora said. "He's not quite at 'murder' level, but it's about as close as you can get."

What was wrong with Jacob? How could he treat Felicia's death so lightly? How could he treat all of this so lightly? Nate tried to hit him again, but it was just as useless as the first attempt. "You're the one who needs to die," he spat.

"Okay, yeah," Nora said. "Now he definitely wants to kill you."

Jacob sighed. 'Those kids have really gotten under your skin, haven't they? It doesn't matter what idealistic nonsense they spit out. We sealed these monsters away for a reason, and if it weren't for those eight idiots, everything would be just fine. But no, everyone clearly needs to be reminded why they can't be allowed anywhere near humans."

In the outside world, another giant monster approached Boaris. It was some kind of turtle, armed with a large, golden hammer.

"That is the world's only remaining hope," Jacob said. "To be honest, I have no idea what's about to happen. They say a monster with seven human souls has infinite power, so what happens when infinity clashes with infinity? Let us watch and find out."

They silently watched a battle among gods.

His hammer in hand, Gerson faced his old friend.

The scene was even worse than the war. Gerson was surrounded by flames and death. Once proud buildings were crumbling. He could barely see through all the smoke. It was as if hell itself had been brought to the surface, and Boaris was the fallen angel who'd summoned it.

Gerson laughed. "So, Boaris… finally making good on all those rants about humanity, eh?" Damn, the whole city was burning, and he was still cracking jokes? People always said he had a sass problem.

"Gerson…" Boaris said, "why do you stand against me? You always said that if we ever escaped the underground, the humans would just kill us."

"Doesn't mean we should lower ourselves to their level," Gerson replied, "and it sure as hell doesn't justify killing your own kind!"

"Gerson, I fight to bring us all back to the underground, back where we belong. You know that is our rightful place. When Asgore announced his desire to return to the surface, you felt betrayed that he changed his mind. So, what changed yours?"

"Well…"

"And please," Boaris said, "don't say it was Frisk."

"The kid changed your mind, didn't he?" Gerson said. "Go back to the underground? That's a lot different from how you used to feel. Pretty sure you would've used this chance to take the surface back from humanity back then. I mean, what are you doing?"

"I told you," Boaris said. "I'm showing everyone why we must go back."

Gerson scratched his head. "Not sure I follow. Help me out, old buddy. You have the power of a god. If you want everyone back underground, why not just force them?"

"Because I still have my honor," Boaris said. "I wield this power for one purpose and one purpose alone. I will show my kind the river, but I will not force them to drink. They must do that on their own."

"Well," Gerson said, "I'm glad you're so honorable, for a genocidal manic."

"Frisk's dreams are a pretty idea," Boaris said, "but that's all it is, an idea. The reality is that there is no future for us here. You've seen this yourself. If we stay here, you know how it'll end for us."

"Hey," Gerson said, "when you get as old as we are, you learn a lot about history, and you should know that history doesn't always repeat itself."

Boaris brandished his axe. "That's not good enough. There is only one way I can be convinced. Defeat me in battle, old friend. Prove that this can be stopped."

Gerson chuckled. "Well, I'll give it my best shot! Don't expect me to go easy on you!"

Boaris swung straight for his neck. Gerson ducked his head under his shell, swung his hammer, and landed a solid blow on Boaris's side. He stepped away and grunted in pain.

"Wahaha!" Gerson laughed. "Boaris, do you not remember any of the battles we fought together?"

Boaris sheathed his axe and ripped a steel beam off of a nearby building. He sharpened one end and threw it at Gerson like a spear. It went right through his shell and his chest. Gerson gargled. Was it over already?

No, Gerson pulled the hot metal out of him. It hurt for a moment, but his wound healed quickly. Even the crack in his shell disappeared. Determination really was something. He felt young again!

Gerson raised his hammer high and hit Boaris right on top of his head. Stunned from the blow, Gerson followed up with a swing to the side of his head and knocked Boaris down. He fell over against a tall building, causing it to tip over into another building. They fell like dominos.

Aw, hell. There were people in those, huh?

Boaris soon got back on his feet. Gerson clutched his hammer. Boaris clutched his axe, and they traded blows. They both felt the pain of each strike, but neither of them seemed to be sustaining any permanent damage. Their determination healed their wounds as fast as they could inflict them.

Boaris parried a strike from Gerson and pushed him back. "I'm starting to think this will never end," Boaris said.

"Hmph, keep telling yourself that," Gerson retorted.

Boaris dropped his axe on the ground and spread out his arms. "Then have at it, Hammer of Justice. Kill me if you can."

Gerson had been through a lot with Boaris. He almost felt bad attacking him like this.

Almost.

With his infinite might, Gerson swung his axe at Boaris's legs and swept him to the ground. He raised his hammer and brought it down right on Boaris's neck. He heard the crunchy sound of his bones breaking. Certainly, that should have been a fatal blow.

But, it wasn't. Just moments after, Boaris's neck healed. A grimace on his face, Gerson picked up Boaris's axe and chopped his head clean off. That should have done it, right? Gerson watched Boaris's head turn to dust. Yes! It sucked for Boaris, but Gerson knew that not even the power of seven human souls could make a monster invincible!

Boaris's head regenerated on his body.

Well, then…

Boaris grunted. "Nngh… I must say, decapitation is not a pleasant experience. However, I am certain you can do better. Come now, Gerson. You are no longer a mere turtle. You are a god. Stop thinking of combat in your old mortal ways. Unleash your true power."

Gerson channeled his magical energy. Damn, it was so much more powerful than before. It really did feel infinite. With the power of these souls, Gerson felt like he could do anything.

He called forth as much energy as he could. From the heavens, he sent a deadly beam of pure energy crashing down on Boaris. The boar's entire body was destroyed, leaving behind a sphere of pulsating white light. His soul, protected by a brilliant white barrier, floated above a massive crater created by Gerson's attack.

Gerson attacked the soul with as much force as his determination allowed, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't make a dent in the glowing white ball. He felt himself grow tired, from frustration as much as fatigue. He stopped to catch his breath, and Boaris's entire body regenerated.

Boaris stared pensively into space. "Hmm… it appears my worst fears have been realized. There is no way for us to be destroyed, unless we allow it. As long as we are determined to live, we cannot be killed."

No, there… there had to be a way! There was no such thing as an unstoppable force in this world. Everything could be moved, if only given the right push.

Gerson tried again. He sent down another beam of energy, instantly destroying Boaris's body, but his soul remained intact. Gerson focused all his determination on one thing, destroying Boaris's soul.

Gerson collapsed.

How long had he been at it? Hours? Days? He could no longer tell. His body hadn't given out. He could have kept going; he was just sick of waiting. He had poured everything he'd had into Boaris, and hadn't done anything. He hated to admit it, but... maybe Boaris was right. There was no way to kill him.

In a matter of seconds, Boaris's body regenerated. "Impressive. Even for a god, 102 hours of uninterrupted, intense conciseness must be no easy feat."

Gerson laughed humorlessly. "Not even a week, huh? I'm disappointed in myself."

"It's a good thing you didn't take any longer. I can hardly imagine how dreadfully bored Frisk and his friends must be."

Gerson felt his godlike soul sink. "What have you done with Frisk?"

"I sent him somewhere safe," Boaris answered. "and yes, I am aware this is no mercy. Frisk, Chara, and Asriel will be among the few unfortunate witnesses burdened with the full memory of what happened here."

Gerson was disgusted beyond words. "You have lost your mind, Boaris."

Boaris folded his giant arms. "I'm the only monster making any sense."

Boaris had always been stubborn. Gerson knew there was no point trying to argue with him further.

"So, what will it be, Gerson?" Boaris asked. "You may try once more to slay me, but I think we both know that's not going to happen. You may watch as I burn the rest of this world, or if you allow it, I can end your suffering here. When you awaken, everything will as it was before, except everyone will understand the peril they are in."

He was right. They could fight each other. They could hurt each other, but they could not kill each other. At least, not before Boaris took the whole world with him.

Gerson sighed. "Just end me, Boaris. If I can't kill you, at least let me prove that I can be killed."

"Very well."

Boaris immolated Gerson with a beam of energy similar to the one he used. Gerson felt his entire body melt away, and he felt the energy crash against his soul. Gerson had no desire to remain in Boaris's hell, so he let the barrier surrounding his soul fall apart. As it shattered, Gerson's greatest regret was how much he must have disappointed Frisk and the others. They must have seen him as their last hope, their hero, but alas, he was no hero.

Never was.

"NO!" Chara screamed.

All Frisk could do was watch as Gerson let his soul shatter. That was it; their last hope had vanished. If another monster with seven souls couldn't stop Boaris, nothing could.

Chara sobbed. "That's it. I… I can't watch anymore."

Frisk's first instinct was to comfort her, but what could he say? What could he say when the whole world was burning before their eyes? There was nothing to be said. There was no bright side to look on. Everyone was dying, and there was nothing they could do.

Chara stared at him intensely. "Frisk… give me my knife."

He shook his head. Chara and Asriel were all he had left. No matter how bad things were, he couldn't let them…

Chara lunged at him. Frisk tried to stop her, but he was too late. Chara grabbed the knife and shoved Frisk away. She pointed the knife at her heart.

Frisk reached out his hand. "Chara, don't!"

Before Chara could plunge her knife into her heart, Asriel grabbed her arm. "Stop!" he shouted.

"Wh-why?" Chara asked. "Everyone is dead. What do we have to live for?"

"They won't stay dead," Asriel reminded her. "Not if we do our part. Boaris has all the power here, and the last thing we want to do is piss him off. If he wants us to watch, we watch. It's the only thing we can do to fight back."

"After a tense pause, Chara lowered the knife. "Yes, you're right." She sniffled. "I'm so sorry. I've always been such a coward."

"Well, don't feel too bad," Asriel said. "I've tried to kill myself over less, after all."

It was a small thing, but maybe there was one silver lining. "Hey," Frisk said. "I know this is bad. Like, as bad as it could possibly get, but at least we're suffering together, right?"

Chara laughed sadly. "Yes, if I'm going to watch the end of the world, might as well do it with the two people I love most."

"I never thought I'd say this," Asriel said, "but can we go back to the two of you dating? That's much better than this."

Frisk laughed. "Yeah, I wish we could. I wish we could all just live our lives now." He felt something stir within his soul. "Why do they have to do this?" he asked. "Why do they have to fight?" His breaths grew heavy. "Have I not been through enough?! Why can't they just leave me alone?! Why can't they just let me live my life?! Why can't they just let me be happy?!"

"Let it out, Frisk," Asriel said. "Let it all out."

Frisk caught his breath and calmed down. "Sorry…"

Asriel laughed. "Why are you apologizing? If there's anything in the world to get mad over, this is it. Gosh, you can be so kind and forgiving that it gets irritating, so it's actually nice to see you get angry for once."

"You're welcome, I guess," Frisk muttered. He sat on the ground. "This sucks."

Chara sat down next to him. "You're right, Frisk. You've seen more than your share of hardship, and you're the last person who deserves it. If we somehow manage to defeat Malcom, Boaris, and Nora, I swear I'll make all of your suffering worth it. I'll make you the happiest damn person in the world."

Even during this hellish time, Chara warmed Frisk's heart. He smiled. "Who would have thought you'd be such a romantic?"

Chara smiled back. "Not me, that's for sure." She looked at Asriel. "And don't think I forgot about you. Someday, I'm going to rip Boaris's soul from his chest and hand it to you on a silver plate, and we'll all be a happy family again."

Asriel chuckled. "Heh, that's my sister."

A bright flash flared on the computer screen. With Gerson dead, the humans tried dropping a nuke on Boaris. A mushroom cloud towered over the city. When it faded, Ebott City was completely reduced to a smoldering ruin, and Boaris was still standing.

"There's really nothing that can stop him?" Frisk asked.

Chara shook her head. "He has infinite attack and infinite defense. As long as he stays determined, nothing can destroy him."

His work done in Ebott City, Boaris flew away and moved on to the next.

About a week later, Boaris was almost finished. He just had a few rural settlements left.

Frisk really hoped he'd let them out soon. Boaris had provided them with a refrigerator full of food and water, but he apparently hadn't thought to put in a bathroom, probably because monsters did not defecate, unlike humans. Frisk and Chara had both done their business in a corner of the small room, and the pile of excrement grew larger every day. It did not smell very nice. Naturally, they both really needed a shower.

Frisk sighed. He felt guilty for worrying about such trivial matters when everyone else was dead or dying. Everyone was being burned to death, and Frisk was complaining about a smelly room. Had watching so much death made Frisk insensitive to it? Well, at least it was almost over.

Frisk stepped over the dog – who had turned to stone for some reason – and opened the fridge. He took out a bar of chocolate and gave it to Chara. "Here, a little 'almost done' celebration."

"Yay!" Chara exclaimed. "Boaris is almost done murdering everyone ever! I'm so happy!"

Frisk frowned. "Sorry, I just wanted to –"

Chara sighed. "Sorry, Frisk. I know you're trying to help."

He shook his head. "No, you're right. This is nothing to celebrate. That was so disrespectful. I'm sorry."

"Frisk…" She took the chocolate. "Thank you."

"… you're welcome."

Chara ate the chocolate. A while later, Boaris finally appeared before them. They stared at each other in silence.

"So," Boaris said, "how are you all –"

Chara charged straight at him and furiously swung her knife. Her red eyes glowed brightly. She knew perfectly well that she couldn't kill Boaris, but she kept attacking anyway. Chara cried out viciously and sliced away at his entire body, but her knife just clanged against his body. Boaris showed no sign of pain. Despite all her anger, Chara couldn't land a scratch on him.

"You're supposed to be better than this!" Chara screamed. "Monsters don't do this! Monsters aren't like humans! They don't fight each other! They don't kill each other! They don't try to control each other! They don't… they don't…" Chara attacks slowed down to a crawl. "They don't want power…"

"It is understandable that you are upset," Boaris said. "I would be worried if you weren't."

"How could you?" Chara asked.

Boaris closed his eyes. "That's a good question."

"You just… destroyed the world," Frisk said. "You know that, right?"

"I didn't want to destroy the world," he said. "I just wanted everyone to know that I could."

"I'm not really sure if I can take the moral high ground here," Asriel said, "but… you deserve to burn. A taste of your own medicine."

"Rest assured, I will be brought to justice," Boaris said. "Regardless, I stand firm in my belief that I have done the right thing."

"I don't understand," Frisk said. "If you want to reset, then what was the point?"

"Granted, most people won't recall this perfectly," Boaris said, "but resets are a curious thing. The memories don't wash away completely. I imagine that the unspeakable things I've done won't be so easily forgotten. When you reset, monsters won't be loved nearly as much as before. Hopefully, it won't be long until they are sent back underground, where it's safe for everyone."

"What I don't get," Asriel said, "is why you don't just use those god powers of yours to force us all back down here."

"Yes, that is a possibility," Boaris said. "The problem is that it would be a short-term solution. In that scenario, the humans would just free the monsters again. Yes, I could hold on to my power and ensure they remain sealed away, but… I'd rather not keep these souls inside me. My aim is to destroy this power once and for all. Not even I can be trusted with it."

"Especially not you," Chara sniped.

Boaris nodded solemnly. "I suppose you wish to be rid of my presence as soon as possible. I won't keep you. Frisk, you may now have your power back. I left your SAVE files intact. I shall leave it to you to load them." He frowned. "Frisk, Chara, Asriel… I know you won't believe this, but I truly wish you all the best. Farewell."

Boaris took his axe and plunged it into his soul. His body turned to dust, and the eight human souls shattered.

"Well," Asriel said, "isn't he the most polite mass murderer you've ever met?"

"No point staying here," Chara said. "We may be playing into their hands, but we have no choice. Let us reset, Frisk."

Frisk often felt guilty when he reset; this was not one of those times.

It was finally over.

Nate saw Boaris teleport to Frisk, Chara, and Asriel. As Nora had promised, everything was going back to normal. Frisk would reset, and he'd wake up and…

Wait…

He was going to forget all this, wasn't he? Nora was going to forget all this.

As she reached the same conclusion, Nora's eyes were filled with despair. "Nate, I'm not going to…"

"I know."

Nora frowned. "I don't want to forget this. I'll go back to believing this was the right thing to do. I'll fight to support Jacob. And… you won't, will you? You will fight to stop us. You will fight to stop me."

Nate nodded. "Yeah, as soon as I learned about this, I knew it was wrong."

Nora hugged him. "I apologize in advance for whatever I do. No matter what happens, I… uh…"

Their heartfelt moment was interrupted by Chara hacking away at Boaris and screaming at the top of her lungs.

Nora scoffed. "What does she expect to do with that tiny knife? Now, if she had a nice and long sword, then we'd be in business."

"Um, Nora, not even nukes can stop this guy."

Nora sighed. "If only I could forge a blade capable of piercing this beast's soul. I'd call it… Boarisbane."

"Heh, that's a little on-the-nose, don't you think?"

"Yeah, I suppose a sword capable of slaying gods would need a better name than that."

Nate watched Boaris speak to the kids. Poor things. They were going to remember all of this.

"Anyway," Nora said, "before everything resets, I just wanted to say that I… oh, God, what's he doing?"

Nate's eyes widened. Boaris was about to…

"Brother! I think we're about to get the axe!"

"Nora! Are you seriously going to die with a p –"

Their souls shattered.

FILE LOADED

Lyric Credits:

Song: "I Don't Want to Set the World on Fire"

Artist: The Ink Spots

Chapter Text

As if it were all just a bad dream, Chara found herself back at Grillby's with Frisk, Flowey, and everyone else. Sans, Undyne, Alphys, Nate… they were all alive again. They were all sitting at their table. Aside from herself, Flowey, and Frisk, they were all unaware of what had happened.

"So," Undyne said, "how's everyone – whoa, are you guys all right?"

Chara and Frisk looked like death. Their eyes stared lifelessly towards the floor, wide with horror. Even Flowey fidgeted nervously.

"H-hey," Undyne stammered, "what's wrong?"

Chara thought about telling her that she saw everyone die, but that would have been creepy.

"Hmm…" Sans hummed. "Looks like the three of you know something we don't."

Frisk nodded. "Y-yes, I had to reset. Something awful happened."

"The worst happened," Chara said.

"Meaning?" Nate asked.

"So, uh, yeah…" Flowey said. "That plan of Malcom's we just told you about? The one about giving Boaris human souls and going on a rampage? Well…"

Undyne gasped. "Don't tell me…"

"It... happened?" Nate asked.

Frisk whimpered. "Y-yes."

"How bad?" Undyne asked.

"E-everything," Frisk muttered. "He destroyed everything."

Everyone was silent as they processed what Frisk said.

"W-wow…" Undyne said quietly. "So, what now?"

"I imagine we have a broadcast from Malcom coming," Flowey said. "Any minute now."

Flowey was right. Just a minute later, the restaurant's monitors were taken over by a special address from President Malcom.

Malcom's expression was just as miserable as theirs. "Everyone," he said, "I have terrible news. There has been a large reset recently, and for good reason. I regret to inform all of you that the worst has happened. Before the reset, our world was destroyed by a monster with human souls."

The whole restaurant whispered in shock. Yet, as insane as it sounded, they knew Malcom was telling the truth. Deep in their souls, they could still feel the horrors Boaris had unleashed.

Malcom let out a pained breath. "The monster was none other than Boaris. It all happened so fast. It started like any other day. I met him in my office for a routine meeting, and while my guard was down, the beast grabbed me by the neck and snapped it. He wasted no time absorbing my soul. My security team tried to stop him, but there was nothing they could do. Boaris killed them all. Even…" he sobbed, "e-even Nora, who I have been friends with sense we were kids. I could only watch as Boaris tore her apart. He r-ripped her c-clean in two. It was..." He broke into tears.

It was a convincing performance, but Chara knew it was bullshit. She was filled with more rage than words could express. He told Boaris to kill him, and he couldn't even accept responsibility for it. Typical politician, a corrupt megalomaniac with no integrity. How had humanity come to be represented by the worst of humanity?

"R-rest assured," Malcom said, "Boaris has already been detained. I can hardly speak of the things he did. The entire world was up in flames, and that is not a figure of speech. So many people burned in his fire, and not just humans, but monsters as well. I'm sorry, I can only imagine what it feels like to burn to death. I am so ashamed that my soul was used to make this happen."

Chara screamed at the monitor. "You liar! You wanted this! If you're going to destroy the world, at least have some fucking dignity about it!"

"The Guardian Program was a bust," Malcom said. "Gerson tried his best, but there was nothing that could stop Boaris. Guns, nukes, nothing. The entire world was consumed. It is a miracle that, for whatever reason, he preserved Frisk's life so he could reset afterwards. We shall interrogate him to try and understand this monster's motive, but if you ask me, he was just a sick animal who wanted to watch the world burn."

Malcom went on in graphic detail about how Boaris destroyed the world. Chara ceased listening.

The effects were immediate. All the humans in the restaurant suddenly felt uncomfortable in the monster-run establishment. They quickly began to leave. Soon, Frisk and Nate were the only humans left inside.

Chara clawed her hands against the table. "That man is everything I hate about humanity."

Frisk held her shoulder. "Chara…"

"He needs to die," Chara hissed. "Him, Boaris, Nora, they all need to die."

"Ch-Chara," Flowey stammered, "I totally agree, but… you need to calm down."

"Why?!" Chara shouted. "Malcom destroyed the world and cheated the consequences, and you're asking me to calm down?!"

"Oh my God…" Alphys whispered.

Undyne gaped incredulously at her. "What… is that?"

Frisk grabbed both her shoulders. "Chara, look at me."

"Frisk, even you must agree!" Chara yelled. "Tell me they will die! Tell me there will be no mercy for them!"

Frisk brushed his finger against her eye. "Chara, look…"

His finger was covered with some kind of black, tar-like substance. Did that… come from her? She shivered."Wh-what?"

"Chara…" Frisk breathed, "your eyes…"

Chara wiped her eyes and looked at the black substance. It was drippy and horrid-looking. It was disgusting, and it came from her. Oh, God, it came from her. What was wrong with her?

"Huh, you should probably get that checked out," Sans nonchalantly said. "Last time I checked, humans don't do that."

Chara's heart sank deep. "I… I… have I done this before?"

"Well, your eyes glowed a couple of times," Flowey said, "but this is new."

Chara rested her head on the table. She had been afraid of this. It seemed that despite Felicia's soul and Frisk's best efforts, she may not have been entirely human anymore.

"Hey, it's okay now," Frisk soothed. "Just try to stay calm, all right?"

Chara took a deep breath. They had far more pressing concerns than her well-being. "Yeah, I'm fine. Don't worry about me."

Frisk whimpered. Oh, Frisk. Seeing her like this was not what he needed right now.

Nate wasn't doing well, either. He pressed his hands against the table and scowled. "Jacob actually did this? Nora did this?"

"Yep," Flowey said. "In fact, Boaris absorbed your soul for some reason. Do you remember anything?"

Nate's face turned pale. "You mean, my soul was...?"

"Sure was," Flowey said.

Why had Boaris absorbed Nate's soul? He shouldn't have needed it. Chara looked at Nate. "You were the eighth," she said. "I'm not sure what he wanted with you. He already had seven souls, so yours was unnecessary."

"Maybe it made him even stronger?" Frisk suggested.

"I don't think so," Flowey said. "That's like asking 'what's infinity plus infinity?' I had that power, and I was as strong as my willpower allowed. I doubt you could get any stronger from there."

"Then, why?" Frisk asked. "Did he just want to reunite Nate with his sister?"

Chara sighed. "Anything's possible with this guy."

Nate held his head. "Ugh, yes, I must have spoken with Nora, but I can't remember..."

"That's probably for the best," Flowey said. "She probably said something awful to you. You must have seen firsthand what a psycho she really is."

Nate glared at him. "Hey, I'm trying to play nice here."

"Nora isn't," Flowey retorted.

Nate grunted. "I don't like you."

"Feeling's mutual," Flowey muttered.

Eager to get out, Chara got up and walked away from the table. "Excuse me, but I wish to see my mother as soon as possible."

Frisk got up too, and Flowey hopped on Chara's shoulder. After what happened to her, they all needed to see her again.

Sans waved goodbye. "See ya."

Sans…

Chara looked at Sans ruefully. "Hey... I know you don't remember, but before the reset, I said some terrible things to you. I apologize. I didn't mean to be so harsh. I just wanted to help my mother."

Flowey scoffed."He's the one who should apologize. He attacked you, remember?"

"Well," Sans said, "I don't remember what happened, but I guess I was just trying to keep the old eye socket out for you."

Frisk nodded. "Yeah, you just –"

Sans held up his hand. "I don't need the details, kid. Don't worry about it."

Frisk frowned. "But, you did say something strange about her. You said that Chara was… something."

"Oh, yeah," Sans said. "If nothing else, Chara sure is something."

Frisk furrowed his brow. "Sans…"

His tone grew more serious. "Kid, some secrets are best left alone. Like the whole soul absorption thing. Just imagine how great things would be if we didn't know about that."

"Do you still not trust her?" Frisk demanded. "How many times do I have to tell you that Chara doesn't mean us any harm?"

"I can only hope you're right," Sans said.

Chara couldn't blame him. She wouldn't trust herself, either.

"Sans, what's your deal with her?" Undyne asked. "Sure, she was a little messed up, but she seems cool now. And if we're being honest, she really hasn't done anything worse than Asgore and I have."

"Trust me," Sans said, "you don't want to know."

Huh?

Sans refused to say more, and Chara noted a particularly nervous expression on Alphys's face. What was going on with those two? What did they know? What was frightening them?

"Hey, don't let me keep you," Sans said. "You want to see Tori, right? I can take you there if you want."

Right, Mother. At the moment, nothing else mattered. "Thanks for the offer," Chara said, "but I'd rather not trouble you. We can see ourselves home just fine."

He waved. "All right, then. Bye."

Chara waved back. "See you later, Sans."

Boaris, Malcom, Nora, Felicia, goopy eyes… Sans's ominous words were just one more thing on the list. With Flowey on her shoulder and Frisk by her side, Chara made her way back home.

Chara knocked on the door. Toriel opened it. She frowned miserably. "Children..."

Mother… she was alive. She was alive! Chara knew it, but she was alive! "Mother!"

Chara, Frisk, and Toriel all embraced each other.

"Toriel," Frisk said, "did you… hear what happened?"

Toriel nodded. "Aside from getting Chara and Asriel back, the past few weeks have been nothing but torment. Frisk's abduction, Endogeny, and now this... I cannot imagine what it was like to witness that."

Chara held her tight. "Mother, it was worse than I have words for. Boaris killed you right in front of us. He –"

Toriel shushed her. "Speak of it no more, Chara. No matter what you saw, I am here, alive and well. Everything is okay. Just rest now."

Chara sniffled. "Y-yes, thank you, Mother… I love you."

"I love you too, my child."

Toriel led them inside. They sat at the dining room table, and Toriel poured Chara and Frisk cups of golden flower tea. Chara took a long sip. After being locked in that room for over eleven days, she was so thankful to see Toriel alive again. She couldn't bear the thought of truly losing her. Damn Boaris. That creature had made her entire family suffer. What kind of monster would do the things he did? Was he even a monster? No, he was the monsters' equivalent of inhuman. His actions had put all of monsterkind at risk. He needed to pay for his crimes.

Frisk sipped his tea. "It's great, Toriel."

"Glad to hear it," Toriel replied.

Flowey had been silent the whole time. Toriel gave him an affectionate pat on the head. "I love you, my son."

He didn't say anything. He could only wish he returned Toriel's feelings. Oh, Flowey. Chara was still wracked with guilt over him. She was starting to wonder if he was right. Was bringing him back to Toriel really the right thing to do? Would it have been better if Frisk had just forgotten about him, like he had asked him to?

No, Chara had to believe there was something she could do for him. She would keep her promise. One day, Boaris's soul would be his.

But for now, Chara just wanted to spend time with her family.

Toriel sighed. She shifted her attention to Chara. "There is a little bit of good news. While you were out, I finally got you a bed. I set you up in the room directly across from Frisk's."

She managed a smile. "Good, Frisk can have his bed back to himself now."

Frisk smiled too. "Aww, but we liked sharing a room."

Toriel laughed. "Oh, you two."

Chara finished her tea. "Hey, Mother, were you working on the garden recently?"

"Umm, yes," Toriel answered. "I must confess, I was having some trouble."

"Would you like my assistance?"

"Oh, yes. That would be lovely!"

"I guess I'll help too," Flowey said. "I know a lot about flowers, obviously."

"I don't know much about gardening," Frisk said, "but I can provide moral support."

Chara smiled. "Then it's settled. Let's go."

Chara spent the rest of the day with the people she loved. They did their best to stay strong.

That night, Chara was alone in her new room. It was very similar to Frisk's room, with a bed, a TV, a wardrobe, and a couch. She placed a potted golden flower from the garden on her nightstand. She stared at it wistfully. Even after all these years, she was still captivated by the golden flowers.

She heard someone walk in. It was Frisk.

Chara was always glad to see him. She smiled. "Here to wish me goodnight?"

"Chara," Frisk said, "there are some, uh, personal things I need to get off my chest."

She tilted her head. "Hmm? Is this about the drippy eyes?"

Frisk sat down on the couch. "Well, I'm worried about that, too."

She sat next to him. "What is it? You can tell me anything."

Frisk took a deep breath. "When Nate threatened to kill you, you promised that you'd sacrifice yourself to save Felicia. Did… did you mean it? Would you really… die for her?" He cringed at the mere thought of her dying.

She frowned. "Yes, I would. I initially thought Felicia's essence was absent, but with these memories I've been experiencing, I'm not so sure anymore. It's possible that her essence is not gone, but dormant, like how mine was until you found me."

Chara could see the fear growing in Frisk's eyes. "So, if Felicia wakes up, then what?"

"I… I will do everything I can to transfer control of her soul back to her, even if it destroys me."

Frisk held her hand. "I know this is selfish, but I don't want Felicia to come back, not if it means losing you. You mean so much to me, Chara."

She broke eye contact. "I'm so sorry, Frisk. I promised to place Felicia's life over my own, but I also promised to make you happy. I guess I can't really keep both of those promises, can I? Heh, no wonder Sans hates making promises."

"Chara, your life is important too. Never forget that, no matter what anyone tells you."

Chara wondered what it was that made Frisk love her so much. He had complemented her strength, her bravery, her spirit, her humor, her looks, but were those things really what made him love her? He did love her, that much was certain. Chara could see it in his eyes. Frisk would follow her to hell and back, but why? What made her so special? Why would he choose to save someone who hated humanity over someone who didn't seem to hate anyone?

Perhaps, buried deep inside his kind and forgiving soul, Frisk held just a little bit of spite for humanity himself. Perhaps he was just a little frustrated that people weren't always as merciful as he was. When he set out to destroy the barrier, he had freed an entire race that humanity had imprisoned without their permission. He had done it because he loved them, but maybe he also felt some satisfaction proving that the humans were wrong to seal them away. As for Chara, so many people despised her and just wanted her to die for what she had done. Perhaps part of the reason that Frisk loved her was to spite them, just like how he spited humanity by destroying the barrier.

Or, perhaps, Chara was overthinking it. She was the spiteful one, not Frisk. Maybe Frisk simply loved her, and that was all there was to it.

"Frisk," Chara whispered, "I'm so lucky to have you. I'm not going to give you up easily, but if Felicia does wake up, this is her soul. I couldn't justify keeping it from her, no matter how much I want to stay with you."

Frisk held back tears. "That doesn't make me happy, but I understand. You really are a good person, Chara."

Chara smiled and touched his cheek. "Thanks to your guidance."

"… hey," Frisk said, "is it possible that I could give you my soul?"

Chara gasped. Was there no end to his kindness? "Frisk, I could never accept that. Your soul belongs to you. I couldn't just take it."

"Chara, I'd gladly give you my soul."

"Frisk…" She smiled. "That's moving a little fast, don't you think? We've only been dating for a couple weeks, and you're already pledging your soul to me?"

Frisk smiled back. "If you'll accept it, my heart belongs to you."

Chara blushed. "You're too sweet, Frisk."

"Sorry, I can't help it with you."

She giggled, and she hugged him tight. "I love you."

"I love you too."

Frisk's body was so warm. She wasn't ready to let go of him just yet. She rested her head on his shoulder. "Frisk, tell me the truth. Do you think everything will be okay?"

"Things are bad," Frisk admitted. "Humans and monsters are going to have problems. There's no denying that. But, I do think there's still hope. Boaris proved that he could destroy the world, but he didn't, not really. Even he doesn't actually have any lust for power. I'm sure we can use that."

"Ah, you're so hopeful, Frisk. I imagine that the best solution would be to find some way to defeat such a monster, but all the legends say that no such counter exists. I truly wish we had a definite answer to this problem."

Frisk held her tighter. "We'll have plenty of time to worry about all this later. For now, I just want to stay with you."

She nodded. "Yes, whatever we do, we must not give in to despair. Let's be happy together while we still can."

"Hey," Frisk said, "remember that little speech you gave Boaris? I was so proud of you. You really stood up to him, and I was so glad to see you starting to trust humanity. You've grown so much. You were amazing."

Chara smirked. "Yeah, I could see that. You were really turned on, weren't you?"

Frisk laughed. "Yes, to be honest. I felt like I could take you in my arms and kiss you right there."

Chara leaned close to his ear and whispered, "Well, here I am…"

Blood rushed to Frisk's face. "You want to…?"

Chara wrapped her arms around Frisk's shoulders and pulled him close. She closed her eyes, and she gently met Frisk's lips. Frisk quickly got into it and fluidly kissed back. God, it felt even better than last time. Chara calmly pushed Frisk down on the couch and laid him on his back. Her heart racing, she gripped Frisk tight, and they melted into another tender kiss. Frisk's warmth and love was exactly what she needed. No matter how bad things got, they were there for each other.

Eventually, Chara pulled back to look at Frisk's dashing red eyes. She smiled warmly. "Thank you, Frisk. I needed that."

Frisk smiled back. "Did it fill you with determination?"

She kissed him on the cheek. "Yes, it did."

"Yeah, me too."

She got off of him and stood up. "All right, you should get out of here before my mother thinks we have a problem."

"Aww, you don't want to cuddle?"

She smiled bashfully. "Perhaps another time."

Frisk got up off the couch and smiled. "I look forward to it. Goodnight… my Chara."

"'Night, my Frisk."

Before he left, Frisk stopped and gave her a concerned look. "But, you'll be fine, right? You haven't had a nightmare in a while, but…"

Chara nodded. "Yes, don't worry about me. It's great that you want to protect me, but you don't have to be my shield. I can take care of myself."

"I know," Frisk said, "but if do you need me, I'm not far."

"Same goes for you," Chara replied. "If you ever need anything, don't hesitate to ask."

Frisk smiled. "Of course. See you in the morning." He left the room.

Frisk, I'll never be able to express how grateful I am for you. I hope our love never ends.

Chara laid down on her bed. Something in her gut told her she would experience another one of Felicia's memories that night, and it would not be a pleasant one. But Chara was ready. It was time to get to the bottom of what happened to her soul's previous owner.

Chara turned off the lights.

Chapter Text

This time, Felicia actually paid attention to the boring dinner.

Mother, Father, Nate, Nora, and Jacob were all seated. Felicia watched closely as the maid, Flora, laid out the meat, the fish, and the drinks in an orderly fashion. One of their chefs, Kawasaki, came and poured the tea into Felicia, Nate, Nora, and Jacob's cups, in that order. Felicia didn't spot anything suspicious. Everything looked normal.

"Your favorites are here!" Kawasaki exclaimed. "Steak, fish, wine, and sunflower tea!"

"Golden flower tea," Felicia corrected.

"Oh, right! Easy mistake!"

Idiot.

Flora bowed. "Please enjoy." She and Kawasaki left. Everything was just like last time.

Wait, no. Shouldn't the scientists have been here by now?

They finally showed up. "Sorry to keep you waiting," John apologized.

"We just got a report," Eva explained. "There has been a reset recently."

"Two, actually."

"But one was just five seconds."

"It wasn't even worth mentioning."

"This one, however…"

Father held up his hands. "One at a time, please."

"Sorry," John said. "The point is, your daughter reset this night."

Mother gave her a scolding look. "Felicia, why did you reset?"

"U-umm…" She couldn't just tell them that she saw Jacob die. She didn't want to spook the killer, if they hadn't been spooked already.

"Resets are not a toy," Mother chided.

"Your Mother's right," Father said. "You can't reset without a good reason."

"Do we need to explain it?" Eva asked.

Oh, no…

"First of all," John began, "when you reset, you are not the only one traveling through time. When you reset, everyone goes with you."

"Think of our timeline as a cassette tape," Eva said. "Left untouched, the tape plays normally, and when you reset, you are rewinding it to a certain save point."

"A common misconception about World Masters is that they travel to different timelines. In reality, when you reset, you do not create a new timeline. Save for some trace memories, everything that happened ceases to exist. When you reset, you're erasing the entire world's progress."

"Even without full recollection, the effects can linger. Have you ever played a video game and forgot to save for a while, or perhaps even lost all your data and had to start all over? Imagine that, except in real life. Imagine finding out that you and everyone you know forgot the last day you spent."

"Although, it is curious how some people experience faint memories of resets. While no one truly understands how this memory retention works, DT is clearly linked with…"

"…the timespace-continuum reacts to every…"

"…on the quantum level…"

"…a breakthrough has allowed us to…"

"…can track them with a device that uses…"

Felicia yawned, deeply.

Both scientists glared at her with their light blue eyes. Eva glanced at Mother. "You need to teach her some respect," she said.

Father sighed. "We've tried. She's unteachable."

Mother rolled her blue eyes. "She never listens."

I listen; I just don't always agree.

"Anyway," John said, "this actually brings us to what we wanted to talk to you about."

"As you know," Eva began, "while World Masters don't create new timelines, other timelines exist, all running independently of each other. By studying these timelines, we can predict possible routes our own timeline may take."

"And one of these routes is… disturbing."

"To put it lightly."

Father's orange eyes widened in fear. "What do you mean?"

Eva took a deep breath. "Sometimes, for reasons we don't understand, everything in a timeline suddenly ends. They are turned into worlds of total darkness. Photon readings are absolutely negative in these worlds. Nothing remains but blackness and howling wind."

"And this is a route that… our timeline could take," John fearfully said. "We've calculated that we may branch into this path within thirty years."

Was that what this was all about? Was that why someone was trying to kill Jacob, and possibly her?

"Is it monsters?" Nora asked. "I mean, what else could cause that?"

Eva nodded. "Yes, that is the most solid theory. We know of no other power that is capable of such total destruction."

Nora looked at Felicia. "See? I told you! It's too dangerous to let the monsters out! They could destroy everything!"

For just a moment, Felicia was filled with doubt. What if freeing the monsters was what caused those timelines to be destroyed? Could that prophecy have been right after all? Was she really the demon who would return from the underground and bring an end to everything?

No, Felicia cast those doubts aside. There was no way that prophecy could be true. No prophecy was true. To believe in a prophecy was to believe in a fate that could not be changed, and determination was all about changing fate. Those other timelines showed something that could happen, not something that would happen. Humans and monsters weren't fated to fight each other. If they just tried, Felicia knew they could live peacefully. Human, monster, what did it matter? They were all just people.

"They won't," Felicia said confidently. "Not if we work together."

Nora gritted her teeth. "You're so naïve! Your idealism is going to get us all killed!"

Mother frowned. She looked at the scientists. "How did you raise such a smart child?"

"Seriously," Father said. "Can we trade?"

… wow… thanks, Mom and Dad…

John, Eva, Nate, and Jacob all shot Father disturbed looks.

"Dad!" Jacob shouted. "Don't give away my big sister!"

Father laughed. "Calm down! I was only joking!"

"Well, it wasn't funny!" Nate exclaimed.

"S-sorry," Father apologized.

Nate leaned close to Felicia. "I feel so bad for you," he whispered. "Joking or not, no parent should talk about their own kid that way. It's not right."

If only that were Felicia's biggest concern…

"Nate!" John called out. "It's rude to talk behind people's backs."

"Oh, I'm sorry," Nate said. "I was just telling Felicia how much her parents suck."

"NATE!"

Similar to last time, an awkward silence ensued, and just like last time, Jacob reached for his tea.

Felicia grabbed his wrist. "Wait!"

Jacob jumped. "Huh?"

"Umm… I think you should let it cool more," Felicia said.

The tea wasn't even hot at all anymore. Jacob shot her a dubious look. "Uh, Felicia? Are you okay?"

"U-umm…" Felicia swapped their cups. "Here! Doesn't mine look so much better? Drink mine!"

The whole room looked at Felicia like she was crazy. Jacob shrugged, and he drank from Felicia's cup. Everyone but Felicia started eating in silence.

She watched Jacob in tense suspense. Had she successfully saved him from the poison? Last time, only a single sip killed him. This time, his cup was half full, and he was still breathing.

Nora quickly finished her own cup of golden flower tea. "Ah, I love this stuff! More!"

Kawasaki came and refilled Nora's cup. He noticed Jacob's half full cup. "Would you like some more, too?"

"Sure."

Sweat trickled down Felicia's brow as Kawasaki refilled Jacob's tea, but Nora's tea was clean, right? Felicia just had to watch closely.

She didn't see anything, but she heard a strange sound from the tea pot. Like something being clicked into place.

"Thank you." Jacob held the cup and started to take a sip.

She couldn't let him. She grasped the cup and pried it from her brother's hand. "Jacob, don't!"

Everyone was startled by Felicia's outburst, especially Jacob. "H-huh? What's wrong?"

Felicia took a deep breath. "Everyone, here's the reason I reset this night: Someone's trying to kill Jacob. I saw him die."

"Wh-what?" Mother breathed. "Why would someone want to hurt my Jacob?"

"Who?!" Father demanded.

"Well, I have a theory." Felicia pointed at Kawasaki.

The chef looked confused. "Me?"

"You poisoned Jacob's tea," Felicia said. "There's no one else who could have done it."

He looked offended. "Felicia! I've served your family since you were a cute little baby! Why would I ever try to hurt you?"

"Is that so?" Felicia shoved the tea he had just poured for Jacob in his face. "Then drink it."

Kawasaki's purple eyes widened. "F-Felicia, there's no need for –"

"Drink it!"

Kawasaki sighed. "Oh, Felicia…"

Nora shrieked. "Felicia!"

Before she could react, Kawasaki pulled out a knife from under his apron, and he plunged it into Felicia's chest, right through her heart. She gagged. The pain was burning. Blood poured out of her wound, and she felt her life slowly drain away.

Mother screamed.

Nate and Nora tacked Kawasaki off of her, but it was too late. Felicia collapsed to the ground. As her vision blurred, she could hear her family running to her side and begging her to stay with them.

Her soul shattered.

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Felicia held her chest and gasped for air. It hurt. It still hurt. She looked at her palm and was relieved to see there was no blood, but it still hurt. Dying was not fun.

She did her best to collect herself and process what happened. The murderer, it was really Chef Kawasaki? She hadn't expected that. Was she really supposed to believe that a mere chef suddenly decided to murder Jacob? No, there had to be more to it. Someone must have bribed him, or blackmailed him, or something. He couldn't have been working alone. Either way, Felicia had to find out what was really going on.

Felicia reset back to before the dinner. She walked into the kitchen. Chef Kirby was cooking his poyo chicken, and Kawasaki was making his fugu. Felicia approached him.

"Kawasaki," she whispered, "I know what you're trying to do."

He turned around and smiled innocently. "If you mean pleasing your taste buds, you've got me!"

"I didn't realize poison was your idea of a good meal."

A timer went off. Kawasaki ignored it and gestured towards his fish. "Oh? You know about fugu? Don't worry! I know it sounds dangerous, but I'm a professional! I always cut the toxin safely away!"

Ah, right. Fugu and its deadly tetrodotoxin. It was lethal enough to kill within minutes. However, the symptoms weren't as bloody as whatever he'd used on Jacob, so it wasn't the murder weapon. Almost a literal red herring.

"Perhaps," Felicia said, "but I believe Jacob prefers his tea without poison as well."

Kawasaki stopped smiling and reached under his apron. "Felicia, I'm getting a real sense of déjà vu here. Aren't you?"

Ah, hell…

Out of nowhere, Nora ran into the kitchen. "H-hey! What's going on in here?!"

Felicia gasped. "N-Nora?! What are you...?"

Kawasaki slit her throat.

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Felicia clutched her throat. That one was even worse. The feeling of being torn open there was terrifying. That metallic taste was still fresh on her mind. She felt like her neck could burst back open at any moment. That bastard! Counting Jacob's death, that was three times he had inflicted this pain. Felicia wanted him to know what it felt like.

N-no… Felicia had to calm down. No matter how she felt about him, she had to get answers from him. There had to be a reason he was doing this, something that would explain why he thought killing her was the right thing to do. Felicia just had to keep trying.

Again, she approached Kawasaki. She asked him plainly. "Why are you doing this?"

Again, he played innocent. "What do you mean?"

"Why are you trying to kill Jacob?"

He dropped the act. "Oh, he's not the one we're really after…"

Again, he stabbed Felicia right through the heart.

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Tears streaming down her face, Felicia tried again.

"Kawasaki, how could you do this? You've known me for –"

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"Please, stop! You don't have to –"

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"It… it hurts… please, don't –"

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"Who's making you do this? If you'd just talk to me, I promise I'll help –"

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Nora screamed.

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Her blood spread onto the floor.

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Jacob told her to stay awake.

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Her parents came, but it didn't matter.

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"Why are you doing this?!"

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"Why?!"

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Felicia slammed her fist into his face. "You murderer!"

He was stronger.

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Felicia slowly stumbled into the kitchen. She must have looked indescribably pathetic. Kawasaki didn't even hide it this time. He could only imagine how many times he had killed her.

"P-please…' Felicia breathed.

He leaned close to her and whispered. "Just give up now, before it gets worse."

Worse? It was going to get worse?

Yet again, Nora ran into the kitchen. "H-hey! What's going on in here?!"

This time, Kawasaki stuck the knife in the side of her throat. Felicia instinctively reached for her wound as her blood sprayed all over the kitchen wall. She slowly stumbled over and fell on the floor. She felt the familiar feeling of her consciousness fading before her soul shattered.

FILE LOADED

Damn it!

How many times had it been? Heh, she wasn't counting, but… it was quite a bit more than three now.

No matter what she tried, Kawasaki wouldn't give in. Reset after reset, he refused to reveal even the slightest hint about his motivation or who he was working with.

Felicia decided… she didn't care what his reasons were. It didn't matter. What could possibly justify all the pain he had inflicted on her? Nothing could. No matter what his reasons were, he didn't even deserve to be called human.

But, what was going on with Nora? Was it possible that… Nora was involved? Felicia knew that Nora hated her plan to free the monsters, but she had never thought that she'd kill her over it.

Perhaps she was wrong.

Now that she thought about it, it was awfully suspicious how Nora told her to reset and avenge Jacob's death. If forcing her to reset was her plan, of course she'd say that. And, when Felicia tried to save Jacob, it was Nora who asked Kawasaki for refills, giving him another chance to poison Jacob. And, how did Nora know that Kawasaki was about to kill her, before he reached for his knife? And, why did Nora follow her into the kitchen? Felicia could only think of one explanation; Nora knew she was on to them.

Oh! And when Jacob was poisoned, Nora laughed. She laughed! Who laughed at an innocent person's pain? Only a psychopath would do such a thing. Sure, when he died, Nora acted sad, but that was all it was, acting.

Felicia didn't want to believe it, but the evidence was overwhelming. The thought hurt her even more than Kawasaki's knife. She thought Nora was her friend, but that was a lie, wasn't it? Nora had betrayed her. No, not just her. She had betrayed Felicia's entire family. She felt a chill run down her spine. How could she have been so stupid and naïve? How could she not have realized that Nora hated her so much? How could she not have seen Nora as the murderer she truly was? She felt sick.

Nora was going to pay, but first, she had to deal with Kawasaki. Nora would be next.

Felicia had a brilliant idea. As much as she would have loved to murder Kawasaki all by herself, things could have been a lot easier if she just swallowed her pride and asked for some help. What about Flora? She had trained for this sort of thing. Felicia was sure she could trust Flora.

Felicia found Flora in the dining room setting the table for dinner. "Flora," she whispered. "I need your help with something."

"Oh, what is it?"

As one would imagine, Felicia's parents were very busy people. Being a president and a senator did not allow for much time to raise a family. They frequently had to travel far from home on important trips and meetings. While they were away, Flora was the one who cared for Felicia. Flora was almost as much of a mother to her as her actual parents. However, she was also a loyal maid, and she often acted as Felicia's servant. It was kind of a confusing relationship.

True to her nature, Flora had a caring and gentle appearance. She had long, light blonde hair, pale skin. and light blue eyes. More importantly, she was a capable mage specializing in ice magic, which could prove useful. Very useful.

"Do not panic," Felicia said, and she wouldn't. Even when things got bad, Flora was always calm and collected, a true patience soul. "Someone is trying to kill me."

"Kill you?" she whispered back. "Who?"

"Kawasaki."

"Are you certain?"

"He made it pretty clear when he shoved a knife in my chest."

"O-oh..."

"So, will you help me?" Felicia asked.

Flora nodded. "Of course."

Kawasaki was dead this time.

With Flora protecting her, Felicia went into the kitchen once more, and she once more confronted Kawasaki.

"Hey, Kawasaki!" she cheerfully said. "That's a lovely teapot you've got there! I would love to take a look at it!"

Once he saw Flora, sweat trickled down Kawasaki's brow. "Uh... I don't think you would."

"Oh, come on, Kawasaki!" Felicia said. "Just a quick peak!"

"N-no, I would really rather you didn't."

Felicia stepped closer. "Kawasaki, it wasn't a question..."

He clenched his teeth, and he pulled out his knife. "Die, monster lover!"

With that, Flora immediately blasted Kawasaki with a cold stream of ice magic, freezing his body in place. Well, that was easy! Felicia pried Kawasaki's knife from his frozen hand. She grinned. "I always knew you were an idiot."

Chef Kirby gasped in horror when he saw the scene. "Wh-what's going on here?"

Poor Kirby. Felicia sure hoped he was innocent. She would have hated for him to suffer the same fate as Kawasaki...

Felicia pressed Kawasaki's own knife against his neck. He may have been magically frozen, but he was still conscious. His purple eyes widened in fear.

"Do you know how many times you've killed me?" she whispered. "I don't, either."

Kawasaki tried to speak, but his voice was muffled by the magical ice.

"I'm sorry, what was that? I couldn't hear you."

Felicia could hear Kawasaki's screams from under the ice. It sounded so sweet.

"Flora, unfreeze him," Felicia ordered.

"U-umm, all right," Flora said. She waved her arms and commanded the ice to melt.

The moment Kawasaki was unfrozen, Felicia stabbed Kawasaki's chest. His blood flowed out of the wound. "This is for Jacob, you sick bastard."

Flora gasped. "F-Felicia..."

She gripped the knife tight, and she rapidly, violently stabbed him several more times before letting him fall to the ground. It felt good.

Kawasaki's purple soul floated out of his body. Felicia sliced it open, and its purple shards scattered across the room.

Felicia gained ten EXP. Her LOVE increased to level two. It felt very good.

"Felicia," Flora whispered, "did you really have to...?"

"Yes," Felicia said. "Yes, I did. He attacked me. He gave me no choice. It was self-defense." She looked at Kirby. "Isn't that right, Kirby?"

Kirby's whole body was shaking. "U-uh, yes! Definitely! Total self-defense, yes! There was absolutely no other way!"

Felicia grinned. "I'm glad you understand."

Nora once again ran in the kitchen. "Hey, what's going on..." She turned pale when she saw the bloody scene. "Wh-what...?"

"Hi, Nora!" Felicia chirped. "Don't worry, everything's been taken care of!"

"Wh-what happened?"

You know what happened.

The others came in too. They were all horrified when they saw Kawasaki's corpse. "Felicia!" Mother screamed. "What happened?!"

"Kawasaki tried to kill me," she said. "He poisoned Jacob. I had to reset several times to stop him."

"Do you... have any evidence?" Eva asked.

"Well," Felicia said, "aside from my witnesses Flora and Kirby, you really should check his teapot. I think you'll find something interesting."

Eva retrieved the teapot and examined it. "I don't see… wait, there's some kind of compartment inside."

She found a switch and flipped it. Felicia could see something flow into the tea.

"Damn…" Father muttered.

"Th-that's the poison?" Mother asked.

Felicia nodded. "Be glad you don't remember what it did to Jacob."

"He… he really tried to kill me?" Jacob asked.

"Yes," Felicia said. "He did kill you, and now I've returned the favor."

Jacob frowned. "Sister…"

"Why did he do this?" Father asked.

Felicia looked around the room. "I don't know, but I know he wasn't alone. Someone else is trying to kill me."

"But, who?" Nate asked.

"Well, I have some suspicions."

"What suspicions?"

She shook her head. "I'd rather not say."

"What? Why not?"

A fire lit up in Felicia's red eyes. "Because they could be right here in this room."

Everyone was silent for a while.

Mother glared at the scientists. "It's you two, isn't it?"

"What?!" Eva shouted.

"We'd never!" John insisted.

"I know we appear to have motive," Eva said, "but we're not murderers!"

"Yeah!" Nora exclaimed. "Don't talk to my Mom and Dad like that!"

Mother scoffed. "You know what? I wouldn't be surprised if you're involved, Nora!"

Yes! There's something Mother and I can agree on!

Nora didn't respond. She didn't even seem surprised by the accusation.

"You're insane!" John yelled.

"Our families have been on good terms for a long time," Father said, "but if you had anything to do with this, we will make you answer for it."

Felicia took another glance at everyone in the room, especially Nora. "Well, my would-be killer, whoever you are, take a good look at Kawasaki. When I find you, I'm going to make you suffer far more than he did."

Nate began to cry. "Th-this is all so horrible…"

Nora made a show of comforting him, but Felicia knew the truth. Nora didn't care about any of them. She was a psychopath who hated monsters and would do anything to keep them imprisoned. No, forget imprisoning them. If she could, Nora would kill them all, and she'd kill any human who stood in her way. Felicia wasn't going to let that happen. She just needed some hard evidence, and she'd have her revenge. She took one last look at Kawasaki, and she left the kitchen with a satisfied grin on her face.

No one fucked with her family.

"LOVE, too, is an acronym. It stands for "Level of Violence." A way of measuring someone's capacity to hurt. The more you kill, the easier it becomes to distance yourself. The more you distance yourself, the less you will hurt. The more easily you can bring yourself to hurt others."

-Sans

Chapter Text

Chara vomited her putrid tar into the toilet.

For over three weeks, she had watched – experienced – Felicia's dark memories. Suffering the pain of her deaths was bad enough, but that wasn't the worst part. As Felicia's sanity began to slip, so did Chara's. She could feel all of Felicia's sorrow, rage, and bloodlust. It was all becoming a part of her.

Panting, Chara flushed the toilet and watched the tar fall down the drain. She held the counter for support and stared at herself in the mirror. The tar was still dripping from her eyes and mouth. It wouldn't stop. Her eyes had turned pitch black all over, save for her pupils, which glowed a faint red. She was looking into the eyes of a demon, her eyes.

No! She didn't want this. She didn't want to – she couldn't – be a demon. She couldn't be the demon everyone thought she was. She wasn't a murderer. She wasn't. She wasn't!

Chara screamed, and she struck her reflection with all her might. The mirror shattered, and a glass shard lodged into her fist. She winced as her blood fell down into the sink below. It hurt. It hurt. She was such an idiot.

Someone knocked on the door. "Chara!" Flowey shouted. "Are you okay?!"

She was silent. She didn't want him to see her like this.

Someone else pounded on the door. "My child!" Toriel called. "Are you hurt? Open this door!"

No, go away...

"Chara! Stand back!"

"Wait! Let me handle this."

A vine slithered under the door and reached for the knob. It found the lock and opened it. Toriel, Flowey, and Frisk ran inside.

Toriel covered her mouth in shock. "Ch-Chara…"

Chara hid her face behind a towel. "D-don't… don't look at me…"

Frisk slowly approached her. "Chara, it's okay. Let us help you."

She shook her head. "N-no! Get away from me!" She tried to back away, but there was no escape.

Frisk grabbed her arms. "It's going to be okay. I promise."

Flowey held her hand. Chara whimpered painfully as he pulled the glass out of her fingers. Toriel healed the wound with a spell right away.

"Chara," Frisk whispered, "what happened?"

She kept hiding her face. She didn't speak.

"Chara, please…"

She let them see. She dropped the towel and stared at them.

"Golly…" Flowey breathed.

She sniffled. "Th-this is what I truly am."

Frisk wrapped his arms around her. Her filthy tar dripped on Frisk's shoulder. Oh, Frisk. He didn't deserve to be tainted by her.

"This… this is fine," Frisk said. "You're gonna be fine, you hear me?"

"Frisk is right," Toriel said. "No matter what, you are still my child."

"Talk to us," Flowey said. "How did this happen? Was it another nightmare?"

Chara nodded. "She didn't just die this time. She… she killed. He deserved it, but…"

Toriel embraced her. "Oh, Chara. I cannot imagine what that was like."

Yeah, Chara hadn't just watched Felicia kill him. Felicia's SOUL was now Chara's SOUL. It might as well have been Chara herself who killed Kawasaki. That murderer deserved to die, but even so, Felicia may have taken a little too much pleasure in ending his life. Chara knew how dangerous it was to walk down that path. If she wasn't careful, Felicia was going to be consumed by her own hatred, and so would Chara.

One thing was for sure, Felicia wasn't the exactly innocent, harmless girl Chara thought she was.

Flowey crawled on her shoulder. "You'll be okay, Chara. You cheated death itself. Felicia should be no problem for you."

Chara wiped more tar off her eyes. "Asriel, look at me. I am not okay."

"You'll get better."

"You will," Frisk said.

Chara breathed deeply. "I… I hope you're right."

Flowey smiled. "Hey, I bet you can make a real creepy face now!"

"Asriel, now is not the time for jokes."

Frisk smiled too. "I bet you would still look cute if you smiled!"

She turned just a bit more pink. "Frisk…"

"Yeah!" Flowey agreed. "Smile for us, Chara!"

Chara glanced at each of them. "Are you not even a little afraid of me?"

"I am afraid for you," Toriel answered, "but I could never be afraid of you."

Frisk and Flowey both nodded in agreement.

They broke the hug. For them, Chara made just a small smile. "Thank you, so much."

"Of course," Toriel replied. "We are all here for you, Chara."

"Hey, you do look cute!" Frisk exclaimed. "I love your regular eyes, but this is pretty attractive in its own way!"

She shook her head. "Frisk, you can't be serious."

"No, I mean it!" He carefully picked up a shard of glass. "Here, look!"

She wasn't seeing it. She was hideous. Well, she supposed her dark eyes did have that demonically seductive quality to them, but all that tar was utterly repulsive. "Really, Frisk? You want this? I don't even look human. I think…" She frowned. "I think I really am a demon."

Frisk kept smiling. "You know what? Even if you are, that's okay!"

"What?! Frisk, how is being a demon okay?"

"Well, being a monster is okay, isn't it?"

"U-umm…"

Chara could see what he was trying to say. Humans often used the word 'monster' to describe a terrible person, but the actual monster race was full of good people. Perhaps… being a demon was not so different.

"So," she said, "I'm a demon, and I should be proud of it?"

"Yep!" Frisk cheered. "If you're a demon, then you're the best demon I've ever met!"

Frisk…

She couldn't help but laugh. "Frisk, you never cease to amaze me."

He showed off her reflection again. "And look, it's turning back to normal already."

So it was. Chara watched as the color returned to her eyes. The tar stopped dripping, and Chara regained her normal human appearance.

"See?" Flowey asked. "What did I tell you? Nothing to worry about. There was no need to break a mirror over this."

"Oh, right!" Chara bowed. "Mother! I'm sorry for breaking it!"

"Seriously," Flowey said. "Punching a mirror? That's pretty much the most miserable thing you can do, and you said I was the crybaby."

"Think nothing of it," Toriel replied. "I can replace that mirror. I cannot replace you."

"You are too kind, Mother," Chara said.

"But remember," Toriel said, "you begin school this week. Will you be ready for that?"

Chara swore she heard the mirror break again. "School? Like, with people?"

"Yes, remember? You, Frisk, and Asriel are all beginning your first year of high school! Exciting, is it not?"

Chara did not see this going well. She didn't see it going well at all. It wasn't that she wasn't smart, or that she was lazy. It was, well, being near all those humans. They were all going to stare at her, judging her. She wasn't ready for…

No, since when did she care what a few humans thought? Mother was right. She had to face this. She had to be ready for it.

Frisk held her shoulder. "Don't worry, it'll be fine! And I'll be there, too! Sadly, we don't have any classes together, but we can still see each other at lunch!"

Chara nodded. "Y-yeah. I suppose it will be nice to have some normal problems to worry about."

"That's the spirit!"

"Waste of time if you ask me," Flowey grumbled. "We've got better things to do, like saving the world from that damn president."

Right, the human and monster situation was still deteriorating. After what Boaris did, fear and blatant prejudice were on the rise. The Government was – relatively speaking – scrambling to reach a new consensus on how to handle the monster 'threat.' This kind of distrust is exactly what Chara had feared.

Yet, despite everything, there were still many humans who supported peace with monsters. Frisk's adventure to save them had become something of a legend. People wrote all kinds of stories about it. They collected cards. They sang songs. They bought plush dolls of Toriel. They wore replicas of Frisk's shirt, and some guy even made a video game based off of it. All that love for monsters wasn't going to die so easily.

Still, Boaris had challenged that love severely. Even the ones who loved monsters needed to know that they weren't a threat to the world. They needed to be convinced that it didn't have to come down to humans or monsters.

It was complicated.

As they waited for the politics to play out, it didn't seem there was much either side could do. Frisk kept pleading for peace and freedom, while Malcom demanded safety and security. Humanity was once again divided on the issue of humans and monsters.

Chara yawned and stretched her arms. It was just before dawn, so they might as well have stayed up. "Sorry to wake all of you," she apologized.

"Hey, Chara," Frisk said, "before school starts," he blushed, "maybe we could get in another date? Later today?"

"I have plans, actually," she answered.

"Let me guess, more training with Undyne?"

She nodded. "Yes, I'm getting better with every session."

"Good," Flowey said. "I can't wait for the day where you rip Malcom to pieces with your magic!"

Chara laughed. "I look forward to that day as well."

"Can I come with you?" Frisk asked.

"But, Frisk, you hate fighting."

"Chara, I'm not that straight-laced. It's fine as long as you're not trying to kill each other. It'll be like watching an anime, with you in it! I want to see how strong you've gotten!"

She smiled. "In that case, I suppose there's no harm in it."

"Do be careful," Toriel said.

"Yeah, don't worry," Chara replied. "I promise I won't punch any more mirrors."

"Yes, I would hope so. Anyway, I believe we have spent more than enough time in this bathroom. Let us proceed. I shall prepare breakfast shortly. I was thinking pancakes."

Chara perked up. "Chocolate chip pancakes?"

Toriel smiled. "Perhaps…"

She quickly started walking. "Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go!"

Frisk smiled. "Glad you're feeling better."

"Yeah, me too."

They got ready for the rest of the day.

"You're gonna have to try harder than that!"

With sweat pouring down her face, Chara dodged another flurry of spears. Undyne wasn't giving her a chance to catch her breath.

Chara conjured another set of energy knives. Each of them glowed with a faint, gray light as she positioned them all around Undyne. She sent them all flying towards her. Undyne deftly repelled each one with her spears, and the magic scattered all around the walls of Alphys's lab. One knife flew right by Alphys herself.

Alphys squealed. "H-hey! Careful!"

Undyne laughed inside her helmet. "Sorry, dear!"

Chara shot another knife straight at her. She ducked as the blade was sent flying right back at her. She could feel the magic's heat as it flew right over her head. Damn, that was too close.

Undyne held her spear against her hip and charged forward. Chara summoned another knife in her left hand, and they clashed. Undyne spun her spear around and swung upward. Chara parried the strike and threw a fireball from her right hand. Undyne swiped it to the side and solidly kicked Chara in the stomach, staggering her.

Undyne swiftly followed up with a paralysis spell, disabling Chara's ability to walk. At least she finally had a chance to breathe. She glanced at Undyne. She looked so menacing in that armor. She cast spears all around Chara. Chara raised her knife in response and prepared to deflect.

"You need to cast a barrier!" Undyne shouted. "That tiny knife isn't going to block everything!"

Barrier, that was the one spell Chara was having trouble with. She hated that spell. It was the same spell that had imprisoned the monsters, albeit on a much smaller scale, of course. Regardless, the mere mention of Barrier left a sour taste in her mouth.

Undyne sent her spears flying from all around her. Chara did her best to deflect all of them with her knife. She repelled several before one behind her got too close. She tried to jump out of the way, only to stumble over and fall on the ground. As she laid helplessly on the floor, Undyne positioned a fresh volley of spears above her, all glowing that faint gray light Chara had learned to fear.

The color a magic attack glowed determined its properties. White attacks were standard projectiles. Light blue attacks could be avoided by remaining still, but tended to be either larger or cheaper to cast. Orange attacks were the same, except they required motion to avoid instead of inertness. Green projectiles were healing spells, and gray projectiles…

"N-no, please…" Chara panted. "Have mercy."

Undyne showed none. The first spear went through.

"Heh…"

And another.

"Heh, heh… U-Undnye, please, not with Frisk here…"

Undyne sent all her gray spears through Chara's body. She tried to resist with all her determination.

"Pffft, U-Undyne, haha, s-stop, ahaha… ahahahaha! AHAHAHAHA!"

Undyne laughed. "I think it's safe to say you're dead now."

Chara rolled on the floor, laughing involuntarily. "Haha, d-damn it, Undyne! Th-that's enough!"

Undyne glanced at Frisk and Flowey. "What you do you think? Should we show her mercy?"

"I'm just here to enjoy the show," Flowey said.

Frisk smiled. "I don't know. Maybe wait a little longer, just to be safe."

"F-Frisk!" Chara cried. "I thought you had my baaaaaaa..."

As Undyne kept striking her with tickle magic, Frisk sat down next to her. "Your laughter is so beautiful," he said.

"Hahaha, F-Frisk! H-help me!"

"Help you? What's in it for me?"

"Oh, you k-know I'll m-make it worth your wh-while!"

"Go on…"

"S-something I k-know you'll like!"

Frisk grinned. "All right, Undyne. I think she's had enough."

"Aw, you're too easy, Frisk!" Undyne teased.

Frisk playfully shrugged. "What can I say? I just can't resist her."

"Fine." Undyne destroyed her spears and undid the paralysis spell, ending Chara's torment. She got back up.

She smiled. "Thanks, Frisk."

He smiled back. "No problem!" He noticed something on her face. "Oh, you have some of that stuff on your eyes again."

"Ah, damn it." She wiped the tar off her eyes. It always happened when she used magic. There wasn't too much, thankfully.

Frisk winked flirtatiously. "So, where's my reward?"

"Hey, don't tell me that's the only reason you saved me! I will not be objectified!"

Frisk laughed. "Hey, I don't even know what my reward is."

She smirked. "Oh, but I think you do…"

Chara took Frisk in her arms and kissed him. She locked his lower lip between her lips, and she sensually brushed her tongue over it. Frisk blushed. That was a bit more than he was used to.

"Wh-whoa," Frisk breathed. "I wasn't expecting that."

She suddenly felt like that may have been a mistake. Should she have asked first? "U-umm, did you not like it?"

He smiled. "Oh, I liked it. I was just surprised, that's all."

She smiled back. "In that case, you're welcome." She hugged him. "I really wanted to win for you, Frisk."

"Aw, it's okay. I was still impressed! It's only been a few weeks, and you're already casting magic like a pro!"

"Haha, thank you."

"Tell me about it," Undyne said. "It usually takes humans years to get this good!"

Chara blushed. "You flatter me."

Alphys took a break from her computer. "Seriously! A human learning magic this quickly isn't just rare; it's unheard of! Even other red SOULs don't normally attune as fast as yours!"

Chara thought that over. "Huh, does this have something to do with my, uh, unique body?"

Alphys nodded. "Y-yeah. It, uh, seems like it. I analyzed the sample of 'tar' that you gave me. It appears to be, um, a sort of magical waste product."

That made sense. "Ah, so that's why it happens whenever I use magic."

"W-well, it's not that simple. It also leaks out when you experience extreme stress or anger. You have a perfectly functional human body, but it seems that there is some kind of energy, comprised of both magic and determination, keeping it that way. If it weren't for this energy, then… uh, well, every cell in your body would immediately perish."

Ouch.

"Uh, anyway," Alphys said, "it's safe to assume this is why you're such a natural with magic. B-but, you have to be careful! If your EN, your ENERGY, ever reaches zero, you will die."

Chara nodded. "Treat ENERGY as critically as HIT POINTS. Got it."

Frisk frowned. "Yeah, be careful, Chara."

"Don't do anything stupid," Flowey said.

"Using magic consumes EN," Alphys explained. "It regenerates over time, but don't overexert yourself. For most mages, running out of EN simply means they have to rest, but in your case, your body wouldn't have any EN left to sustain itself."

"I understand," Chara replied.

Alphys started to sweat. "Aw, man. This sounds like a set up for one of those sacrifice scenes."

Frisk held her hand. "Chara, no hero stuff, okay?"

She wasn't going to leave him so easily. She saluted. "Ryōkai!"

Alphys laughed. "Yoi!"

Frisk scratched his head. "Uh, is that a yes?"

"Hai!" Chara happily answered.

Undyne scoffed. "Nerds."

Chara giggled. "Hey, thanks for training me, Undyne."

She took off her helmet and smiled. "No problem! It reminds me of the old days when Asgore used to train me."

Ah, Father. Chara hadn't seen him in a while. She hoped he was doing well, aside from the political turmoil... Yeah, he was probably going through hell.

"Hey, Chara," Undyne said, "have I told you the story of how I finally beat Asgore?"

"Well, not to me personally, but I was present when you told Frisk about it."

"Ah, that's right," Undyne said. "You were inside his head. What was that like, anyway?"

"You know, I kind of miss it," Frisk said. "It was cool having her as a ghost guardian buddy."

"Yeah," Undyne said, "I can see how that'd be cool, but I'm sure you prefer, well, being able to touch her."

Chara and Frisk both blushed a little. "Well, yeah," Chara admitted.

Frisk laughed. "I didn't even know her name back then. She refused to tell me, so I just called her 'Voice.'"

Chara snickered. "Yeah, well, you wouldn't tell anyone your name, either. We all just called you 'the human.'"

"Haha, yeah. Back then, we refused to even tell each other our actual names." He grinned. "And now we make out."

Chara laughed. "Yes, we've come a long way, haven't we?"

Undyne grinned. "Yeah, Alphys and I have come a long way, too. I'm glad she finally stopped fawning over Asgore and told me how she felt!"

Alphys blushed. "It wasn't that serious!"

"So, anyway," Undyne said, "it took me a long time to finally beat Asgore, so I'm sure you'll surpass me too, Chara. You know, eventually. I am pretty awesome, after all!"

"Y-yeah," Alphys said. "You just need to work on that Barrier."

Chara's face scrunched up in disgust. "I hate that spell."

Undyne chuckled. "I never thought you would be the type to let your feelings get in the way."

"Hey! I'm actually a very emotional person! Did you not see me kiss Frisk just a minute ago?"

"I can vouch that it was indeed very emotional!" Frisk said without shame.

"Yeah," Undyne said. "You really like Frisk, don't you? Well, what if someone tries to hurt him? You're gonna want to have that Barrier spell down if that happens."

Chara frowned. "Yes, I suppose so."

An idea seemed to form in Undyne's head. "Hey, Frisk, mind giving Chara a little motivation?"

Wait, what?

Frisk nodded. "Sure, I'm no stranger to this."

"Stand still, okay?" Undyne summoned another spear in her hand, glowing blue with a white aura, and she pointed it at Frisk.

Chara's red eyes widened. "U-Undyne, no! I can't! I'm not ready!"

Undyne ignored her. She pulled back her arm, and she threw the spear.

Frisk!

Chara focused all her energy on protecting Frisk. A white wall flickered in front of him, but it didn't stay. The spear went through, and it flew right by Frisk's head. It impacted the wall and shattered.

Frisk held his chest and breathed heavily. He hadn't been hit, but… Undyne didn't remember that she had killed Frisk before.

"Um, you okay, Frisk?" Undyne asked. "I swear I missed on purpose."

Chara wanted to be angry with Undyne, but she couldn't. All she could feel was a sense of worthlessness for being unable to save Frisk. She was so sick of being powerless to protect the ones she loved.

Undyne looked at her. "H-hey, it's okay! You'll get it! You almost had it! You just gotta practice!"

"Would Malcom care if I need practice?" she spat. "Would Nora stop to give me combat lessons before tearing Frisk apart right in front of me? When they make their next move, I need to be ready."

"And you will!" Undyne said. "You've got time; I think!"

Chara stretched out her hands and concentrated with all her strength. She looked at Frisk and imagined Nora aiming a gun at his head. She channeled all of her desire to protect him, A wall of white light flickered in front of him, but it quickly died out.

She tried again, and again. Tar was pouring down her face, but she kept trying. Frisk had done so much for her, and now she needed to get stronger, for him.

"Chara, enough!" Frisk ran to her side.

"I can do this!" she said. "I will not be useless any longer! Soon, it will be my turn to protect you, so…"

She tried again. The barrier actually stayed solid for a full second before collapsing. Chara collapsed with it.

Frisk caught her. "Hey! Alphys just told you to be careful"

"Yeah, what the hell?!" Flowey yelled. "You just said no hero stuff!"

She coughed up blood and tar. "I'm… I'm okay." She checked her stats. She had five EN remaining, five out of one hundred. So, even with that much power, she couldn't protect him.

Frisk held her. "Don't do this to yourself. You don't have to hurt yourself for me."

"Frisk," she whispered, "you've saved me in more ways than one, but all I've done is whine and have nightmares. Malcom is going to start a war, and I can't do a damn thing about it. I'm sick of being powerless. I… I need to do something!"

Frisk frowned. "Chara, this is hurting me, too. I have the power to turn back time, but even I couldn't stop Boaris. Do you know how that feels? I used to think I could correct any mistake, but that's just not true. I'm the World Master, yet I feel just as powerless as you do."

She clenched her fists. "Then, what will we do?"

Frisk held her cheek. "I don't know, but we'll find out together, okay?"

Chara felt herself calm down. "Yeah. No matter what, we'll both protect each other."

Undyne sighed. "Man, you two are so dramatic."

"Oh? What's your solution, then?" Chara asked. "How do we stop this war?"

She smiled. "That's easy! If a war does break out, I'll just get seven souls, which shouldn't be a problem for me since I'm so badass! Once I have them, I won't kill anyone! I'll just use those souls to make everyone stop fighting and be friends!"

Chara laughed. "You know, that actually isn't the worst idea."

When Chara made her plan to sacrifice herself for Asriel, she had thought of something similar to Undyne's idea. If Asriel had allowed it, they could have used their power to subjugate humanity rather than destroy them. However, Chara wasn't even willing to take that risk. Humans would not have taken kindly to having a foreign god rule over them. Humans were also stupid. They could have killed a lot of monsters before they were stopped, even though it would have been suicide. In the end, Chara had decided that it wasn't worth it. She had decided that it was better to just kill them.

If only Chara had realized how much of a hypocrite she was. Killing those humans would have made her no better than they were. She understood that now. Thanks to Asriel, who gave his life and made the right decision. And, thanks to Frisk, who never wanted to fight back no matter how many times he died. Thanks to them, she had changed, and she would learn to live with her mistakes.

"H-hey," Alphys said. "Umm, I know how to lighten the mood! Let's watch an anime together! Uh, I mean, if you want."

Frisk smiled. "Sure! I think we could all use a break. What anime were you thinking of?"

"Umm… how about… there's this old one called Re:ZERO that I think you'd like! It's about this guy who's like a World Master, except it only triggers when he dies, and he can't control where his SAVE points are. He also can't tell anyone about his power, so it can be a bit agonizing to watch him struggle while he can't explain to his friends why he's suffering, and–"

Chara laughed. "All right, Alphys! I'm sold!"

"It's not all doom and gloom though," she went on. "Even though he can't properly explain what he's seen, the main character's friends do their best to support him, and it's really sweet! The characters are all so great! Especially Rem! Seriously, I have no idea why he wants Emilia when Rem is so–"

Undyne shushed her. "Alphys, you're gonna spoil the whole thing again!"

"R-right, sorry. Let's just watch it!"

Frisk nodded. "Hai!"

"Ah!"

Frisk clung to Chara's arm during a particularly gruesome scene.

"Aw, what's the matter?" Chara teased. "You said you could handle this."

"B-but… Ah!" Frisk squeezed her arm tight as Subaru's neck was torn open by someone he cared about.

Even Chara whimpered. "Okay, that was brutal."

"I can really relate to this guy," Frisk said. "He just wants to be their friend and help them, but…"

Chara massaged his shoulders. "Relax, it's okay. I'm here."

"Yeah... oh, that feels good..."

"You're welcome!"

They had been watching the anime all night. The show was displayed on Alphys's big monitor, which they all watched on a sofa that Alphys had placed. Chara glanced at the others. Flowey had fallen asleep in his flower pot. Undyne and Alphys had also fallen asleep, with Alphys curled up next to Undyne. Their magic training session had turned into an impromptu double date night. Frisk called Toriel to let her know they were going to spend the night there. He promised to come home first thing in the morning.

Chara and Frisk watched the next scene where Subaru woke up back at his checkpoint. For the first time, he tried to explain his situation to Emilia, but some kind of dark force wouldn't let him.

Frisk frowned. "He has it worse than I did. All those deaths, and he can't even tell anyone about it. In a way, he's all alone."

"Yeah," Chara said. "To be honest, I think he's a bit too much of a crybaby, but he really has it rough."

Frisk looked at her. "Chara, I'm so glad you were there for me. I never wanted to tell any of the monsters about my reset power, so I'm grateful that I had at least one person who understood what I was going through."

She blushed. "It was nothing."

"It meant a lot to me," Frisk said. "I know you feel like you owe me for everything I've done for you, but you don't realize how much you've already done for me. I don't know if I could have gotten through the underground without you."

"Oh, of course you could have. You're strong, Frisk."

He smiled. "Either way, I'm still glad you were there. I would have felt kind of alone without you."

"Y-yeah." Tears started to well up in her eyes. Damn it.

"H-hey, what's wrong?"

She wiped her eyes and smiled. "Nothing. I'm just… I'm so happy that we're a thing."

Frisk wrapped his arm around her. "Yeah, me too. I can't imagine being with anyone else."

Frisk was always so warm. She snuggled against his shoulder. "Oh, Frisk. If you hadn't met me, I'm sure someone else would have made you very happy."

"Well, maybe," Frisk said, "but I did meet you. Perhaps it's a bit soon to say this, but I really think you're the one for me."

It warmed Chara's heart to hear that, but she became curious about something. "Hey, Frisk, may I ask you something personal?"

"Anything, Chara."

"Have you ever had feelings for anyone besides me? Probably nothing serious, considering your age, but…"

"Yeah," he said. "Like you said, it wasn't serious, but… I actually had a thing with someone right before I climbed Mount Ebott."

"Oh? Do you… want to talk about it?"

"Her name was Paula," Frisk said. "She was a friend from school. I told you how not everyone treated me well because of my red SOUL, but Paula was always so nice to me." He smiled. "She told me that everyone was missing out on the best catch in school over a stupid prejudice."

"Haha, they really were."

"We had a lot of fun together. She had a great sense of humor, she didn't mind that I flirted with everyone, she was almost as pretty as you, and she seemed like a great person."

"Seemed like?"

Frisk frowned. "When I became the World Master, when I told her that I wanted to climb Mount Ebott, she said I was insane. She had always defended my red soul, but apparently, that sense of equality didn't extend to monsters."

Chara felt so angry for him. "Wow, there's the kind of human I hate."

Frisk's red eyes were full of pain. "I argued with her, and she–"

She stopped him. "Hey, you don't have to talk about it if you don't want to."

He shook his head. "it's fine. I want to get this off my chest."

She nodded. "All right."

"Like most people, she argued that monsters were a threat to humanity, but I could tell that was just an excuse. She simply hated them. It was the exact opposite of how she treated me. I… I didn't even know who she was anymore."

Chara held his hand.

"I wouldn't back down," Frisk said. "I told Paula that I was going to Mount Ebott no matter what she thought of it. She yelled at me, demanding me to stay. She told me that as soon as I set foot on that mountain, then… everything between us was over."

Chara frowned. "I'm sorry. That must have hurt."

He nodded. "Yes, it did. I wouldn't say that I ever fell in love with her, but I did like her a lot. It sucked to lose her."

"I hope this doesn't offend you, but… I don't think she ever truly cared about you. If you ask me, she just wanted to control you."

Frisk sighed. "Yeah, you're probably right."

"Have you ever talked to her since? Wait, stupid question. I was in your head. I would know."

Frisk shook his head. "No, but I recently heard that she's dating Jeff now."

Chara scoffed. "That jerk we met at the MTT Resort? They sound perfect for each other."

"Heh, maybe, but... it's sad how a few small things can ruin something, you know? It only took one little decision to break us apart. Well, I guess it wasn't a 'little' decision. By climbing that mountain, I changed the entire world, so it was kind of a big deal. Still, just a single disagreement, and it was all over."

Chara looked into his eyes. "If she was really your friend, she wouldn't have discarded you so easily. You deserve better than her."

Frisk stared back and smiled. "Yes, I did."

She held his hands. "I won't leave you so easily. Chances are, we shall not share the same opinion on everything, but I won't let that come between us. Because I… I know that you're a wonderful person, and you always strive to do the right thing. I love you, Frisk."

Frisk's cheeks turned pink like hers. "I love you too, Chara." He closed his eyes and kissed her, mirroring the kiss she had given him earlier. Chara felt the tip of his tongue sweep across her lip, making her heart pound.

She took a deep breath. "Frisk…"

He pulled back. "Hey, what about you? Have you ever had feelings for anyone else?"

Even though she should have expected it, Chara was startled. "U-umm… well, I may have had just the tiniest crush on… I mean, it was just a stupid childhood–"

Frisk laughed. "It's okay. You can tell me. I promise I won't judge you."

She gulped. "Once, I sort of, kind of liked… Asriel…"

He didn't look all that surprised. "Did you ever tell him?"

"Y-yes…"

"What did he say?"

"He said… we work best as siblings."

Frisk held her shoulder. "Were you okay?"

Chara sighed. "Yeah, I was okay. He was right. We're better as best friends." She held her heart locket. "Best friends forever. Although, I suppose he would have outlived me. If we hadn't died, I mean. You know, the whole boss monster thing."

Frisk nodded. "Yeah, like what happened to Boaris's daughter. Unless they have children, I guess death is something boss monsters have to get used to."

Chara hummed. "I do find it sad that he'd outlive anyone who isn't another boss monster. He's probably going to outlive us both by millennia."

"Yeah," Frisk agreed. "From their perspective, any relationship they have is fleeting. It must have been hard for Toriel and Asgore to watch so many generations pass by."

Chara nodded sadly. "They are no strangers to death. Almost everyone they knew back from before the war is gone. At least Gerson is still kicking. That old turtle just won't die. He's an honorary boss monster."

Frisk laughed. "Sorry, it's just… aren't we a little young to worry about immortality?"

"Not me. I'm over one hundred, remember?"

"Oh, you can consider yourself fifteen at the oldest."

She shrugged. "Well, almost everyone I knew from 201X is dead, so in that sense…"

Frisk whimpered. "Right, I'm sorry… Is there anyone you miss from back then?"

"No humans, obviously."

"Not even… your parents? I know what you said about them, but…"

Chara averted her eyes. "My parents… they were already dead when I climbed the mountain." She grimaced. She didn't want to think about them. "Sorry, I don't feel like unpacking that right now."

Frisk nodded in understanding. "All right, but if you ever want to talk about it, I'm all ears."

She let out a relieved sigh. "Thank you, Frisk."

"What about monsters?" he asked. "I know you miss Asriel being his normal self, but is there anyone else?"

"Uh… I kind of miss Gaster," Chara said.

"Gaster?" Frisk asked. "Who was Gaster?"

Chara was surprised. "You haven't heard of him? He was the royal scientist before Alphys. He's best known for his invention of the Core. That facility forever changed the underground and made it just a bit more livable. Many monsters may very well owe Gaster their lives."

"Huh, weird. I never heard of him."

"Mother had Gaster tutor me for a while," Chara said. "Basic things like math, science, and monster history. He was pretty cool. I learned a lot from him. He had some creepy hands, though."

Frisk smiled. "But Chara, I thought you liked creepy things."

Chara held up her hands. "Frisk, you don't understand. He had holes in his hands." She traced a circle around the palm of her left hand. "I mean, monsters have some crazy physiology, but this was the stuff of nightmares, even for me!"

"Haha! Okay, I'll take your word for it."

Chara smiled warmly, and she rested her head on Frisk's lap. "Damn, how long have we been chatting?"

Frisk lovingly stroked her hair. "Yeah, this actually turned out to be a really nice date."

"Yes, it's been wonderful talking to you." She yawned. She was getting tried. Lately, she was always tired. She dreaded going to sleep every night. "Frisk… I haven't had good sleep in weeks. May I sleep with you tonight?"

Frisk frowned. "It's really been that bad?"

"It... hadn't been easy," Chara said. "I told you that I can take care of myself, and I meant it. Still, I..."

"It's okay," Frisk said. "I told you; there's nothing wrong with asking for help every now and then."

She sighed. "I know, but I really don't want to be your damsel-in-distress."

"You're not," Frisk said. "You're one of the strongest people I know, Chara." He winked. "Wanting to snuggle with your cute boyfriend doesn't make you weak.'

"She gave an embarrassed smile. "Truthfully, I do feel we are moving rather fast. I mean, we already live in the same house. That's a little weird, is it not?"

"Probably," Frisk admitted, "but that's okay, because we are weird."

"Ha, you have a point there," Chara said. "I guess I can handle a little weirdness."

"What about Asriel?" Frisk asked. "He sleeps in your room, doesn't he? Does he help with the nightmares?"

"Yes, but..." She smirked. "It's not the same as being wrapped in the warmth of your sexy body."

He laughed. "Don't let Asriel hear that."

"Haha, he does help. Nothing makes the dreams any less painful, but it helps knowing I have you and Asriel to wake up to."

Frisk smiled. "I'm happy to help you."

Frisk's lap was a great pillow. Chara felt her eyes droop and yawned again. "All right, let's get some sleep."

"Okay. Goodnight, Chara."

"'Night, my Frisk."

Once again, the two of them drifted off to sleep.

Chapter Text

"Yeah, you're right. No! I'd never doubt you, Chara. Never! Y... yeah!"

-Asriel Dreemurr

Felicia decided to confide her suspicions to her parents. They met in her bedroom while Flora stood guard outside. Hopefully, it was secure.

"Mother, Father," Felicia said, "I think I know who's trying to kill me."

"Already?" Father asked.

"Who?" Mother asked.

"It's Nora," Felicia confidently said.

Mother nodded. "Yes, she's a likely suspect."

Father didn't look so sure. "Nora? She's just a child."

"I know it's her," Felicia said. "Among several other suspicious actions, she didn't even care when Jacob died. She laughed when he was poisoned. It has to be her."

Father still wasn't convinced. "How could a fourteen-year-old convince Kawasaki to kill you?"

"W-well, umm…"

"True," Mother said. "Nora is likely not the mastermind behind this plot. However, I still believe it's possible that she's involved somehow."

"Y-yes!" Felicia said. "Thank you, Mother!"

"Thank you?" Mother echoed. "Felicia, you sound like you want it to be Nora."

She averted her eyes. "Well, it would be better than someone like Nate."

"I don't see how it could be anyone other than John or Eva," Father said. "Rest assured, those two will be investigated thoroughly. And Felicia, until we figure this out, you need to stay safe."

Felicia grit her teeth. "No! I will not cower behind this mansion while someone is trying to hurt us!"

"Felicia…"

"I can help! Let me investigate Nora!"

"No, you will stay–"

Mother cut him off. "I say we let her do what she wants."

Father looked at her in disbelief. "Elizabeth! Our daughter is being hunted! We cannot allow her to–"

"Felicia can take care of herself," Mother said. "She's the World Master. Even if she does die, she can come back stronger. Whoever's trying to kill her has lost their mind."

"Those deaths aren't making her stronger! They're hurting her! Can't you see that?"

"I'm fine!" Felicia insisted.

"Look at yourself," Father said. "This isn't you, Felicia. You never want to hurt anyone."

"I never want to hurt anyone innocent," she said. "These killers are not innocent. They killed Jacob. Anyone who murderers an innocent ten-year-old deserves worse than death."

"Even so, you aren't the type to seek revenge."

She raised an eyebrow. "Don't I deserve revenge?"

Father looked very disturbed. "I understand that you're angry, but you can't let that control you. I want this killer brought to justice, but I won't let that come at the cost of who you are."

"Perhaps you don't know me as well as you thought," Felicia coldly said. "Since when have I ever allowed anyone to control me? Nobody tells me what to do. You should know that better than anyone."

He was both hurt and enraged. "Even now, you won't listen to a word I say?! I'm only trying to protect you, Felicia!"

She stared him down willfully. "I don't need your protection."

Mother held Father's shoulder. "Booker, she'll be fine. The sooner we can find this killer, the better."

He shook his head. "You're both crazy."

Felicia folded her arms. "I have the power to turn back time, and you don't think I can handle a few assassins? I thought orange SOULs were supposed to be brave, but you're a pathetic coward!"

Father's orange eyes were filled with hopelessness. "You're right about one thing. Nobody tells you want to do." He turned to leave. "Fine, I see that I can't stop you. Go look for this killer, but next time you or someone you love dies, I beg you to reconsider. This is a job for the Military Police, not a child."

Father left the room. Felicia could only feel relief.

She hugged her mother. "Thank you. I know we have our differences, but thank you for standing up for me on this."

Mother hugged back. "I know you can handle this, Felicia. Contrary to what your father believes, you're not a child anymore. It's time you took matters such as these into your own hands."

"I couldn't agree more, Mother."

"Just remember, you're not alone. We're all in this together. Anyone who harms a Malcom does not go unpunished."

Felicia smiled. "Yes, that's exactly how I feel. I'm so glad you understand me."

Mother pat her on the back and let go. "Nora should be an excellent lead. You may investigate her however you see fit."

She nodded. "I will."

"I know you'll make me proud. I love you, Felicia."

"I love you too, Mother."

Mother left the room. Felicia soon followed.

Outside, Flora stopped her. "Felicia, what happened? Your father looked extremely displeased as he left."

"We had a disagreement," Felicia said, "but he'll get over it."

"I… I see," Flora replied. "If you don't mind me asking, what was it about?"

"Just how to deal with this murder business," she answered. "Speaking of that, I need to go to the Millers' residence."

"You intend to investigate this matter yourself?"

Felica nodded. "That's right."

Flora didn't look very happy about it, but she bowed in compliance. "Very well. I shall escort you there immediately."

"Thank you, Flora."

Flora led Felicia outside.

They arrived at the Millers' mansion. It wasn't as large or impressive as her own family's estate, but it still carried a strong sense of opulence and elegance. Felicia updated her SAVE file, and she went inside, keeping Flora close just in case.

She spoke with John and Eva at the entrance. They expressed their sympathy for recent events, but that didn't mean they were being sincere. As Father said, those two were among the most likely suspects. However, Felicia wasn't going to focus on them just yet. For now, she was only concerned with one person.

Felicia said that she came to see Nora.

Eva looked surprised. "Nora? I thought you were here to see Nate."

"I'll see him too," Felicia replied, "but I want to see Nora first."

"Well, all right," John said. "She's in her room. Nate's in his room as well.

Felicia thanked them and excused herself. She was already familiar with their mansion. Flora accompanied her to Nora's room. Felicia knocked on her door.

"Nora? It's me."

"Felicia?" Nora opened the door. "What are you doing here?"

"I wanted to talk to you," Felicia said. "May I come in?"

"Umm, okay." She let her in. Flora waited outside.

"This is about Kawasaki, isn't it?" Nora asked.

No point in denying it. "Yes," Felicia said. "I was wondering if you could help me figure out what's going on."

"I really have no idea," Nora claimed. "I did some digging, and I know that Kawasaki was always loyal to your parents. Perhaps he believed you were a threat to their legacy or something."

"Why? Because of the monster thing?"

"Uh, yes… because of… that…" Nora didn't even try to hide her own distaste of it.

Felicia was so sick of this. Her parents, the scientists, Nora… they just never got tired of telling her all about how dangerous monsters were. It was getting old. Were monsters really so god damn terrifying? Why couldn't anyone just agree with her? The person who came closest to agreeing with her was Nate, though he didn't feel as strongly about it as she did. Even her own brother held more of a neutral opinion on the matter. How did Felicia end up holding completely different beliefs from her parents? Maybe she was just a natural rebel.

But enough of that. She had to focus. You know what? Why not accuse her directly? "Nora, by that logic, you could be trying to kill me too."

Of course, Nora denied it. "What? Felicia, I would never hurt you!"

"Give me one good reason I should believe that."

Nora contemptuously shrugged. "Oh, I don't know. How about the fact that trying to convince Kawasaki to poison your meal would have most likely led to my arrest?"

"Sure," Felicia said, "you probably couldn't have done that alone. I'm not saying you're the only Miller involved."

"You're accusing my entire family now?!"

"You have more motive than anyone. Who else could it be?"

"Maybe it's your family!" Nora cried. "Ever thought about that? Maybe your parents couldn't take your rebellious nature anymore, and when you became World Master, they snapped!"

How dare she?! "If it's not you, then why did you laugh when Jacob was poisoned?"

That got her. "Huh? What? I don't remember."

"Kawasaki didn't kill me first," Felicia said. "He killed Jacob, and when he was poisoned, you laughed. Sure, you acted a little more broken up when he started coughing up blood, but until then, his pain was funny to you."

"I… I probably just didn't think it was serious," Nora said. "I probably said something like 'Oh, he'll be fine.' I just didn't want to worry about it, that's all. I wanted to be positive. Honestly, do you expect me to cry over every little cold?"

Felicia wasn't buying it. "When I reset to save Jacob, you tried to help Kawasaki kill him again. You finished your tea quickly and asked for refills, giving him another chance to poison him."

"Or, maybe, I just like tea?"

She still wasn't buying it. "All right, then explain this. Every time Kawasaki killed me, you always seemed to know it would happen before anyone else. You screamed before he even pulled out his knife, and you'd even run into the kitchen just before he killed me. It's almost as if you were signaling him."

"N-no!" Nora exclaimed. "I was doing no such thing!"

"Then what were you doing?"

"I… I don't know," she said. "But, I know I felt something really strange back then, just before you killed Kawasaki. I still don't fully understand it, but I just had some kind of feeling."

Felicia scoffed. "Really? That's the best you can come up with?"

"It's true!" Nora said. "I read about it! I think it's some kind of sensing magic. They say purple SOULs trained in magic have the ability to sense danger. I think I have murder senses or something."

"Wait, you know magic?"

"Well, sort of," she said. "For a while now, it's been my dream to be a warrior mage, so I've been practicing by myself. I can only create a small fireball so far, but it's progress."

Huh, Felicia didn't know that, but it didn't matter. Felicia could see that she wasn't going to get much more out of her. If Nora was guilty, there was no way she was going to give up any real information.

However, perhaps there was someone else Felicia could use. Someone who Nora trusted.

"Felicia," Nora said, "I do want to figure this out. Now, I won't lie. I can understand why someone would want to kill you, but I still think it's wrong. I want to help you."

Felicia felt just a hint of sorrow. "I wish I could believe you."

"I'm not lying. Lying's never been my style. You know me. When I have a problem with someone, I tell it how it is."

Felicia just couldn't believe her. She didn't know what to believe anymore.

"... Nora, it's probably best you don't remember this conversation."

FILE LOADED

Felicia went inside the Miller's residence, keeping Flora close just in case.

She spoke with John and Eva at the entrance. They expressed their sympathy for recent events, but that didn't mean they were being sincere. As Father said, those two were among the most likely suspects. However, Felicia wasn't going to focus on them just yet. For now, she was only concerned with one person.

Felicia said that she came to see Nate.

Eva nodded. "Yes, that's what I figured. He's in his room."

John checked something on his phone. "Felicia, you reset again?"

Damn it! I forgot they can track them.

John sighed. "You know what? I don't even want to know."

Phew! That was close. I probably shouldn't push my luck, though.

Felicia thanked them. She ordered Flora to stay behind, and she went to Nate's room. She knocked on his door.

"Nate? It's me."

"Felicia?" Nate opened the door.

She smiled. "Hi, Nate. May I come in?"

"Uh, sure." He let her in. "Are you doing okay?"

Felicia closed the door behind her. "I need your help," she said.

"How can I help?"

This wasn't going to be easy. Nate cared about his sister a lot. Felicia knew he was going to have a hard time accepting that Nora was a murderer, but Felicia would do whatever it took to convince him.

She laid it on him as gently as she could. "Nate, I need you to watch Nora for me."

He didn't seem to catch her drift. "Watch her? What do you mean?"

"I need you watch for anything suspicious."

"Wait, you want me to spy on her?"

"Yes, that's the idea."

Nate didn't look happy. "Don't tell me you think Nora has something to do with all this."

"You didn't see what I saw." Felicia told him every suspicious thing that she witnessed Nora do.

"But, she wouldn't!" Nate whined.

"Then how do you explain everything I told you?" Felicia asked. "Why did she laugh when Jacob was poisoned? How did she always know that Kawasaki was about to kill me?"

Nora had given her reasons, but Nate didn't need to know that.

Nate offered no logical explanation. Instead, he kept repeating that Nora wasn't a murderer.

"She's not?" Felicia echoed. "Then I'm sure you will have no problem proving that to me."

He shook his head. "No, this isn't right. This is wrong. Nora is innocent."

"Don't be an idiot!" Felicia shouted. "Nora doesn't care about you! She doesn't care about any of us! You heard the things she's said. She'd do anything to destroy monsterkind once and for all!"

Nate sobbed like a sniveling coward. "N-no, you're wrong."

Felicia lost her patience. "Do you not trust me?"

"What? Of course I trust you! But, I trust Nora too!"

"I don't think so. It sounds like Nora is more important to you than I am."

"No! Don't say that! You're both important to me!"

Felicia gave him a cold stare. "People are trying to kill me, and you won't even do this one little thing to protect me. Perhaps I was wrong about you, and about us."

That one hit him where it hurt. "Felicia!"

She turned back to the door. "I see we have nothing more to discuss. Goodbye, Nate."

He stopped her. "Wait! I'm sorry! I'll… I'll do it…"

Felicia smiled, and she hugged him. "Nora's trying to hurt me. You won't let her hurt me, will you?"

Nate hugged back. "No, I'd never let anyone hurt you, but Nora wouldn't, either. I'll prove that she's innocent!"

"Close enough, I suppose." She kissed his cheek. "Thank you, Nate. I won't forget this."

Nate held the spot where she kissed him. "U-umm, yeah. No problem."

"But, if you do find out that she's trying to kill me, what will you do?"

"She's not."

"But if she is?"

Nate held her tight. "I… I won't let her hurt you."

Felicia truly enjoyed holding him. She stroked his golden hair. "Nate, when this all blows over, I'd love to spend more time with you."

He was pathetically flustered. "Y-yeah…"

Felicia let go. "All right, I have to go now. See you later, Nate."

"See you soon, Felicia."

Felicia left the room, and she felt sick to her stomach. Did she really just do that?

It wasn't completely an act. Felicia did have feelings for Nate, but she didn't want it to happen like that. Felicia had cruelly manipulated him, turning him against his own sister. What if Nate was right? What if Nora really was innocent? Felicia may have exploited him for nothing.

No, that was an absurd thought. Nora was guilty, and Felicia knew it. It was obviously the Millers. All the evidence pointed to them. Their name even rhymed with 'killer!' It had to be them! Except Nate, of course. He was just a victim here. Felicia just needed Nate to watch Nora. Nora trusted Nate much more than she trusted Felicia. It was only a matter of time until Nate found something to prove her guilt.

Suddenly, Felicia realized that Flora was waiting right outside the room.

What the hell? "Flora? What are you doing here? I told you to wait for me."

She frowned. "Please forgive me, Felicia. Given your current situation, I simply could not allow you to remain unguarded."

"That's why I needed you to keep an eye on the Millers," Felicia said. That wasn't a complete lie, but it wasn't the full truth, either. Felicia didn't want Flora to overhear her conversation with Nate. Flora's motherly side could be seriously irritating.

"Oh, of course," Flora replied. "That was a sound strategy. I apologize for doubting you."

Felicia sighed. "All right, but in the future, try to be more patient."

"Yes, patience. I understand."

Okay, it doesn't seem like she heard, or she just doesn't care. Either one works for me.

Still, her disobedience was suspicious. Kawasaki had betrayed Felicia; was it possible that even Flora could do the same?

Ugh, I hate this. I can't trust anyone.

All the more reason she had to prove Nora's guilt. Yes, Felicia just needed to be a little more patient, and the truth would reveal itself.

Felicia returned home.

The next day, Felicia was in the study, working on some math homework. Apparently, being an assassination target didn't excuse her from school. Would learning how to factor polynomials save her from a bullet? It was so stupid.

Flora entered the study and informed Felicia that Nora demanded to speak with her.

"What about?" Felicia asked.

"She would not say," Flora answered, "but she seemed rather upset."

Oh, no. Did Nate get caught? I should have known.

Felicia sighed. "Very well. We'll meet in my room."

Flora nodded, and Felicia went to her room. Shortly after, Nora entered.

"Felicia!" Nora shouted. "Did you tell my brother to spy on me? That's a rhetorical question, by the way."

Felicia remained composed. "Mind telling me how you found out?"

"He wasn't subtle at all!" Nora exclaimed. "I caught the little dork watching me from outside my room like a creepy stalker! Then, as innocently as he could manage, he outright asked me if I was trying to kill you!"

Seriously, why did I trust him with this? Nate's never been known for discretion.

Nora sighed. "I'm not surprised, though. After all the things I've said to you, it's no wonder you'd think I'm involved in this. I understand, but the truth is, I'm not trying to hurt you, Felicia."

Oh, Nora… No! It's a trick! She's trying to guilt trip me! I won't fall for it!

"I can tell you don't believe me," Nora said. "Is there anything I can do to convince you that I'm on your side?"

Felicia grew frustrated. How could she prove it, one way or the other? How could Felicia know whose side Nora was really on? There had to be a way, but what?

Slowly, an evil thought formed in Felicia's head. She couldn't remember where, but she remembered hearing that in a person's last moments, they show you who they really are. Maybe it was from a movie or something, and didn't the villain say it? That wasn't reassuring, but even villains had a point sometimes.

Felicia smiled. "Actually, I think there is something…"

FILE LOADED

Felicia went into the kitchen, and she took the sharpest knife she could find, Kawasaki's knife. Now that Kawasaki was dead, it belonged to her now. With the knife in her pocket, Felicia returned to the study.

Flora entered the study and informed Felicia that Nora demanded to speak with her.

"What about?" Felicia asked.

"She would not say," Flora answered, "but she seemed rather upset."

Felicia sighed. "Very well. We'll meet in my room."

Flora nodded, and Felicia went to her room. Felicia gripped the knife in her pocket.

All right, Nora. Let's see if you can keep up your lies at knifepoint.

Shortly after, Flora entered, looking very confused. "Umm… my apologies, Felicia. I don't understand why, but Nora suddenly ran away as we approached your room."

What? Nora… she really does have murder senses!

This made things a bit more complicated, but it meant Nora had to be guilty, right? If she were innocent, why would she run away? Felicia was fully convicted now. The only question now was, when and where?

Hmm…

FILE LOADED

Flora entered the study and informed Felicia that Nora demanded to speak with her.

"I'm a little busy right now," Felicia said. "Ask her if she'd like to meet me in the field after school tomorrow."

Flora bowed and carried out the order. Felicia sighed and waited for her to return. After a few minutes, Felicia again heard the sound of Flora's footsteps. She cleared her throat. "Umm… Nora said, and I quote, 'Sure, whatever.'"

Good. Looks like she didn't sense anything.

The field they liked to play in was nice and secluded. There would be no interruptions. If she wanted to, Felicia could probably get away with killing her right there. She would just claim it was self-defense, and that wouldn't even be a lie at all.

However, there were a couple loose ends.

"Flora," Felicia said, "you're a skilled mage, aren't you? Do you know of any magic that allows someone to sense danger?"

She nodded. "Yes, some individuals with souls of preservation are known to possess a passive skill known as 'Sense Enemy.' This skill grants the individual with the power to sense killing intent directed at themselves or someone they love. The effectiveness of the skill is dependent on three factors: the skill level of the mage, the intensity of the target's killing intent, and the distance between the mage and the target. However, there are limitations. If the attacker is skilled at concealing their true intentions, Sense Enemy will not be able to detect it until the moment they strike."

Ha, Felicia could always count on Flora to give encyclopedic information on magic. Sense Enemy sounded powerful, but Felicia was thankful for its weakness. "So," she said, "if I want to kill someone who has Sense Enemy, I should be fine as long as I keep my emotions in check?"

"Y-yes," Flora said. "Until you perform a direct action to harm them, that is. Why do you ask?"

Felicia looked at her intensely. "Flora, when I go meet Nora, do not follow me."

Flora gasped. "What? Felicia, it's too dangerous to go alone! I must protect you!"

"I need to do this alone," Felicia said. "Do not follow."

"B-but, why?" Flora asked.

Felicia clenched her teeth. "I... I just want this to be between me and Nora."

"I won't bother you," Flora promised. "I'll be quiet; you won't even know I'm there. I can't just -"

"Listen!" Felicia hissed. "You. Not. Coming."

Flora's light blue eyes widened. "F-Felicia, I don't understand..."

Felicia had to come up with an excuse. What was a good reason to keep Flora home?

"I want you to guard Jacob," Felicia said. "He needs protection more than I do."

"Oh," Flora said. "Of course. Kawasaki had tried to kill him, of course he is in danger as well." She nodded. "Very well. If that is your desire, I shall remain here and guard Jacob."

Felicia breathed a sigh of relief. Good, she didn't need Flora getting in the way of what had to be done. Tomorrow, she was going to make Nora talk.

No matter how much she had to hurt her.

The next day couldn't have come fast enough. Felicia waited in the center of the field that they liked to play in. This time, they were going play a different kind of game.

Felicia felt her black hair sway as the wind blew. It was a nice day. The afternoon sun was shining bright, lighting up the golden flowers. It couldn't have been more dramatically inappropriate. The world didn't seem to care what was about to happen.

She finally saw Nora approach. Nate was with her. Felicia grimaced. Why did she have to bring Nate?

As they got closer, Felicia did her best to conceal her hatred as well as her knife. Finally, Nora and Nate stopped just outside of arm's reach.

"Here we are!" Nora exclaimed. "Now, first of all, I want you to apologize to Nate for what you did! Seriously, I can't believe you could do something so messed up!"

Yes, she owed him that much. She looked him in his yellow eyes. "I'm sorry, Nate. I know it was cruel of me to drag you into this."

"I just want everyone to get along," Nate said.

"So do I," Felicia said, "but I'm afraid Nora has made that impossible."

Nate grimaced. "It's not her, Felicia. She wouldn't lie to me."

Felicia scowled at him. "She's playing you for a fool."

Nora frowned. "I don't blame you, Felicia. I really don't. I know you have every reason to suspect that I'm involved, but I swear I'm not. I want to –"

"Shut up!" Felicia shouted. "I know it's you! You can't fool me! You tried to kill Jacob!"

"Why would I?!" Nora challenged. "Why would I lie? If I wanted to kill you, I'd kill you! And I wouldn't care who found out!"

"You hear that, Nate?!" Felicia screamed. "She's insane! She might as well have just admitted it right there!"

Nate closed his eyes and took a deep breath. When he opened them, they were filled with determination. "I've had it!"

Felicia gasped. "N-Nate?"

"You're so sure that it's Nora!" Nate yelled. "You're so desperate to prove that it's her fault! You never liked her, and now that everything's gone to hell, you're so quick to point your finger at her! You want Nora to be the villain! You need someone to blame! You need someone to take out all your anger on!"

She shook her head. "N-no, that's not –"

"But we care about her! Mom cares about her! Dad cares about her! I care about her! And, despite everything, she cares about you! You're the only one who doesn't care!"

"Nate…"

"Don't hurt my sister!"

Felicia sighed. Why did Nora have to bring him? It was obviously part of her manipulative scheme. Felicia wasn't going to let Nora win, no matter what. Felicia's red eyes fixed Nate with an intense glare. "Nate, get out of my way."

Nate shivered. "Felicia...?"

She shambled towards him as if she were possessed. She reached inside her pocket. "I said, get out of my way."

Nora's purple eyes widened. "Felicia?! What the fuck are you doing?!"

Nate slowly stepped back, but he didn't leave Nora's side. "Felicia..."

You fucking idiot. Move. She's trying to kill me. She killed Jacob. Let me punish her. Let me kill her before she kills me.

She took another step forward. "Get. Out. Of. My. Way."

"Felicia, stop!" Nora cried. "You're not thinking clearly! Just calm...!"

Felicia screamed. She thrust her knife out in the open and ran at Nate. Felicia saw the look of shock and horror in his yellow eyes, but she didn't give him time to react. She plunged her knife into his heart. Nate gagged, coughing blood onto her face. "F-Felicia, why...?"

She pulled her knife out, dripping red with Nate's blood, and his dying body fell to the ground. She would reset, of course. She just needed him to take a little nap.

For several moments, Nora stood frozen solid. Her face was as pale as snow. She trembled, and she clenched her fists. "F-Felicia..."

She swiped her knife, letting Nate's blood splatter on the grass. "Look what you made me do, Nora."

Nora's pale face turned blood red. Her fists shaking, she screamed and sprinted for Felicia. Nora pulled back her fist and aimed for her face. Felicia sidestepped the strike and slashed her knife across Nora's arm. She hissed in pain, but she raised her fist for another strike. Felicia blocked the blow with her arm, and she stabbed Nora's stomach. She whimpered and clutched the wound. "Felicia..."

Felicia crouched low and stabbed Nora's kneecap, bringing her down to her knees. Felicia looked down at her, glaring coldly. "Talk," she snarled.

Nora sobbed. "It's not me, Felicia. I swear. I have nothing to do with this."

Felicia grabbed Nora by her hair and pressed her knife against her throat. "Bullshit."

"It's the truth," Nora said. "I never wanted to hurt you, Felicia."

Felicia stabbed her blade into the side of Nora's abdomen. She winced as blood trickled down the wound. "I don't believe you," Felicia growled.

"What can I say?" Nora asked. "What can I do to make you trust me? You killed Nate! Oh, God, you killed Nate! What's wrong with you?"

"Tell me everything," Felicia demanded. "Tell me everyone involved in your little scheme, and this will end."

Tears welled up in Nora's eyes. "I d-don't know. I'm not -"

Nora cried out in pain as Felicia twisted her knife. "Wrong answer."

"L-look at yourself!" Nora shouted. "Look at what you've done!"

She twisted the knife more, turning up the volume. "Confess," she hissed

"There's nothing to -"

Felicia pulled her knife out and stabbed her shoulder. "Who. Wants. Me. Dead?"

Nora sniffled. "I k-know... that... y-you want me dead. You really want me dead. I can feel it. Is that what it will take?"

Hellfire burned in Felicia's eyes. "You think I'd let you off that easily? You aren't dying until you talk."

Tears poured down Nora's face. "I'm s-sorry that this h-happened to you."

Felicia snarled. She slammed her fist into her face as hard as she could. "You're just a perfect actress, aren't you?!"

"I'm not acting," Nora whimpered. "We're friends."

Felicia grimaced. How long was this going to drag on? Why wouldn't Nora just give it up? Once more, she twisted her knife inside Nora's shoulder. "TALK!" she screamed.

"I want to help you," she muttered. "Please, Felicia. Reset, bring Nate back, and together, we'll find out who's really behind this."

Felicia's took a deep, trembling breath. Was Nora really telling the truth? Was she really on her side? No, no! It was a trick! It had to be Nora! Felicia couldn't trust her. She pulled her knife out of Nora's shoulder and stabbed again her in the stomach. As blood poured from her mouth, Nora kept looking right at her. "F-Felicia…"

She screamed, and she repeatedly stabbed her in the chest. Nora's soul didn't even make it out of her body before it shattered. Her lifeless body collapsed to the ground. Felicia stood over it. Her whole body was covered in Nora's blood.

Felicia gained one hundred EXP. Her LOVE jumped from level two to level four.

... what had she done?

Panting, Felicia looked back at Nate's bloody corpse. She looked at Nora. She had... she had killed them. Felicia dropped her knife and collapsed to her knees. What the fuck was wrong with her? She stared at her hands, drenched in her friends' blood. Was she even human? How could she have done that? She felt something salty build up in her eyes. She sobbed. "Nate, Nora... I'm so sorry."

Felicia had been wrong. Nora was innocent. If she wasn't, she would have broken. She would have spat all her hatred at Felicia, but even as Felicia had killed her, Nora's eyes had not been filled with hatred, only regret, regret that Felicia had been driven to commit such a vile act. Because she hadn't trusted them, Felicia had murdered her two best friends, and she only had herself to blame.

As her tears fell onto the grass, Felicia heard footsteps. She swiveled her head towards the source, it was... Flora. Oh, Flora. Despite her orders, she had followed her anyway. Flora stared at her with horror in her light blue eyes. Felicia looked away in shame. "F-Flora, I..."

Flora stared down at her. She grabbed her chin and made Felicia face her, and then she punched her in the nose. Felicia recoiled as the strike made her throb with pain, and blood spurt out of her nose. Good, she deserved that.

Flora said nothing; she only glared down at her with disgust and horror. Felicia whimpered. "Thank you," she said. "I needed that."

Flora grimaced. "Felicia, you're not okay."

She nodded. "So I've realized."

"You need to reset," Flora said.

"I know," Felicia said. "I'm s-so sorry. I d-don't know what's gotten into me."

Flora frowned. "I suppose dying and watching your brother die has not been beneficial to your mental health."

Felicia laughed sadly. Resets may have undid physical damage, but not psychological. It was still possible to drive a World Master insane, and whoever her enemy was, they had clearly succeeded there.

"They shouldn't forgive me for this," Felicia said. "I can't just act like none of this ever happened, and neither should they."

Flora held her shoulder. "Felicia, I won't say you're without blame, but what you've done is not unforgivable. You can still save them."

"Even so," Felicia said, "even if they will come back, even if they won't remember what happened, I shouldn't have done this. I..." She sniffled. "M-maybe I should die."

Flora gasped softly. "Felicia... do not say such a thing. You cannot -"

"I'm a murderer," she said. "I deserve this."

Flora grabbed both of her shoulders and looked into her eyes. "Do not give up so easily," she said. "Yes, you made a mistake, but you can still redeem yourself. Reset, save your friends, and track down the true culprit. I shall help you every step of the way, Felicia."

She felt a warmth inside her soul, but she didn't deserve it. How could Flora still be so nice to her after what she just witnessed? She didn't deserve to be forgiven, yet Flora had. She was an angel. What had Felicia done to be blessed with her?

Felicia got back on her feet. "Thank you, Flora," she said. "Even I don't deserve it, I'll do my best to redeem myself."

She closed her eyes...

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"Here we are!" Nora exclaimed. "Now, first of all, I… uh, Felicia?"

Felicia averted her eyes, unable to face either of them.

"Felicia, what's wrong?" Nate asked.

Felicia didn't know what to do. Should she have told them? Or would it have been better for them not to know? Some things were best forgotten, weren't they? But then again, how could she just pretend like she had done nothing wrong? They had a right to know, and she needed to be punished for hurting them. She couldn't stay quiet.

"Nate, Nora..." Felicia whispered, "I... didn't trust you."

"Well, I gathered that," Nora said. "Honestly, I don't blame you. I know we've had our... disagreements, but I swear that I'd never -"

"Try to hurt me," Felicia finished. "I know."

"You do?" Nora asked. "Then what are you so worried about?"

Felicia only frowned. How could she explain this?

"Did something happen?" Nate asked.

"Y-you don't understand," Felicia whimpered. "I... I really didn't trust you, Nora, so much that I... I was willing to do whatever it took to make you talk."

Nora blinked. "What? I don't understand. What are you saying?"

"... I tortured you."

For several long moments, the three of them stood silently.

"... tortured?" Nora asked. "You mean...?"

Felicia nodded. "I didn't trust you, so I... hurt you so you'd talk. But I w-was wrong. Y-you're not trying to kill me." She looked pitifully at Nate. "A-and I... needed to get you out of my way, so I..."

"... this is a joke, right?" Nora asked. "You wouldn't really..."

"Y-yeah," Nate said. "That's not funny, Felicia."

"It's true," Felicia whispered. "Because I didn't trust you, I... killed both of you."

Nora and Nate both stared at her in horror.

"Why are you telling us this?" Nora asked.

"You deserve to know," Felicia said. "I can't just pretend like it never happened."

Nate clenched his fists. "You really thought it was Nora?"

"I did," Felicia said. "I know 'sorry' won't cut it, but... I'm so sorry."

Nate stared venomously into her eyes. "How could you?"

Felicia sniffled. "I don't..."

"It's okay," Nora said.

Nate gasped. "Nora! You can't just...!"

"It's okay!" she shouted. "Felicia was murdered dozens of times over, and she had to watch her own brother die, too. I'd been more surprised if she hadn't been driven insane."

"But," Nate said, "that doesn't excuse -"

"And of course she wouldn't trust me," Nora said. "We've always fought like cats and dogs over the Barrier. Why wouldn't she suspect me?"

Nate grit his teeth. "She still shouldn't have -"

"No," Nora said, "she shouldn't have, but we're alive, aren't we? It's all in the past... no, it never really happened at all, so let's just put it behind us and find the real killer!"

"But..."

"But nothing."

Felicia looked at Nora with teary eyes. "Y-you'll still help me?"

"Of course," Nora said. "That's what I've been trying to do this whole time. I'm not going to stop just because you had a little freak out that I can't even remember."

Nate sighed. "Felicia, I don't know if I'll ever look at you the same way, but... I'll still help you."

Felicia held her chest, the emotions in her heart were so confusing. She felt shattered by how much she had upset Nate, but she was grateful that they were still willing to help her. Nate may not have forgiven her, but he still wasn't going to stand back and watch her die. That was all she could ask for. The true killer was still out there. It was going to be difficult, but at least Felicia had her friends by her –

Nora gasped. "I think someone's –"

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Nora and Nate collapsed to the ground, dead.

Wh-what?

Flora shouted across the field. "Murderer!"

Felicia frantically looked around. In the distance, a man approached them, brandishing a pistol. He had long brown hair and… red eyes.

Suddenly, the assassin broke into a sprint. Flora launched a volley of ice attacks to stop him, but the attacker nimbly dodged most of the projectiles and deflected the rest with a barrier of his own. He kept moving and quickly closed the distance.

Once he was just a few feet away, Flora surrounded him with a circle of ice pellets. The assassin summoned a flaming sword and spun it around, melting all of Flora's attacks.

He swung at Flora. She blocked the strike with another barrier. The assassin cast his sword aside, and his arms glowed white with some kind of energy. He grabbed Flora's barrier and ripped it in half. Flora tried to jump back, but his hand reached straight through her chest. Flora's body was unharmed, but her soul…

The assassin tore Flora's soul out of her body. She screamed as he crushed it, shattering it. Flora's body fell to the ground.

With Flora dead, the murderer looked at Felicia. He smiled, sending a chill down Felicia's spine.

"We meet at last," he said. "You have done well, my Demon."

"Wh-what are you talking about?" Felicia stammered.

"The way you killed Nora, obviously. You truly have a demon's heart."

He saw her kill Nora? He remembered it? That could only mean one thing; he was a former World Master.

"Wh-who are you?" Felicia asked.

"Name's Monty."

"I take it you're the one trying to kill me?"

Monty laughed. "Kill you? No. Not permanently, that is. Someone's trying to kill you, but it's not me. I want something else from you."

"What do you want?"

He didn't answer. He seemed to stare straight into Felicia's soul. "Felicia Malcom. The World Master, and the President's daughter. Aren't you the most privileged girl alive?"

Privileged? More liked cursed.

"What do you want?!" Felicia demanded.

"Though, I suppose it's not a total coincidence. It does take a lot of determination to obtain as much power as your Mother and Father."

Felicia clenched her fists. "Get to the point or I'll just reset now!"

He grinned. "Isn't it obvious? You're the Demon."

She shook her head. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Everyone knows the prophecy. 'The Demon. The one who has seen the underground. They will return, and everything will end.' They say the Demon will possess a red soul, and they shall realize their true power under Mount Ebott. That sounds just like you, doesn't it?"

"You believe in that fairy tale?" Felicia said. "You're insane."

"I get that a lot," Monty replied, "but it's never swayed me. You may not yet believe it, but you are destined to become the Demon."

"Stop calling me that! I'm not a demon! I'm a human being!"

"Yes," Monty said. "In your current state, you are merely mortal, but with proper guidance, you can become so much more."

More than mortal? What? He seriously wanted to turn her into some kind of demon?

"I don't want to be a demon!" Felicia shouted. "Leave me alone!"

"Oh, I think you'll change your mind," he said. He glanced at the bodies of her friends. "I imagine you wish to reset now." He aimed his pistol. "Here, let me help you."

Felicia heard another loud bang, and she felt the bullet pierce her skull.

FILE LOADED

Chapter Text

"Long ago, two races ruled over Earth: HUMANS and MONSTERS. One day, war broke out between the two races."

-Undertale Intro

With heavy eyes, Chara took out her notebook and got ready for her first class of the day, World History. She was still exhausted from her hellish nightmares. Frisk and Flowey had helped, but the power of love wasn't going to magically solve everything.

Although, there was something special motivating Chara that day. It was September 15th, Frisk's birthday! She couldn't wait to celebrate with him!

The teacher, Mr. Hemlock, started his lecture. They were still covering the Pre-War Era, the ancient times before the Human-Monster War. Naturally, technology was limited back then, but magic was much more prevalent. This was partially thanks to the alliance between humans and monsters, and partially because there was a greater need for magic without modern technology.

For instance, they may not have had telepohones, but long range communication was possible with telepathy magic, and it was even possible for powerful mages to travel across the world with teleportation spells. Thanks to such magic, humanity and monsterkind had achieved primitive forms of globalization over two-thousand-years ago, shortly before the Human-Monster War that had ravaged all of Earth.

Before the war, humans and monsters had gotten along well for the most part. There had been human-controlled nations and monster-controlled nations, but many had been mixed. It hadn't been perfect. The division had been there. There had been quite a few bigots on both sides, but for the most part, the two races had been equal. It must have been a wonderful time. Chara wished she could have seen it.

But, of course, it didn't last forever…

"One day," Hemlock said, "a monster made a discovery that would forever change everything. If you haven't heard of her, I might just fail you right now. That's right! That monster was Bora, Daughter of Boaris.

"Bora had lived a long life with her human husband, long for a human, that is. Bora was a boss monster, which meant she was doomed to outlive her husband by quite some time. When her husband inevitably died of natural causes, Bora was wracked with grief. She saw his red soul floating over his body, and she absorbed it, turning her into a terrible beast with incredible power. Once she tasted this power, she immediately hungered for more, so she hunted down five more humans and–"

Chara jumped out of her seat. "That is not how it happened! Bora's sole motive for obtaining those souls was her grief for her husband! She never 'hungered' for power!"

"Ms. Dreemurr," Hemlock said, "we've been over this. If you have a question, raise your hand."

Chara grumbled and sat back down.

"So," Hemlock went on, "Bora absorbed a total of six human souls, just one soul away from becoming a god. Fortunately, she was stopped when the souls rebelled, led by Bora's husband himself. That day, a truly horrific crisis had been adverted. They may very well have saved humanity."

"Humanity would have been fine!" Chara yelled. "Bora had not simply given in to megalomania! She only wished to save the human she loved! She would not have continued killing–"

"All right," Hemlock said, "what do you think would have happened? What would have happened if Bora had absorbed a seventh soul?"

Her eyes shifted nervously. "U-umm… well…"

What would have happened? Would Bora have been able to resurrect her husband? Chara had been resurrected, so it seemed possible. However, he did die a natural death, so perhaps that would have been different. Regardless, Chara supposed saving one person did not justify killing six others, especially since that one person had already lived out his natural human lifespan.

"She wouldn't have been able to bring him back," Hemlock said, "but she wouldn't have accepted it. She would have kept absorbing more souls, always believing that just one more would be enough. Do you think anyone could have stopped her? I'll leave that to you to decide."

Well, Frisk stopped Asriel.

"You all know what happened next," Hemlock continued. "Humans were understandably terrified of the monster's ability to absorb human souls, which soon led to the Human-Monster War. All over Earth, humanity united to wage war with monsterkind.

"On paper, this war appears very one-sided, with not a single human soul taken, but the thing is, the monsters were always just that one SOUL away from turning the tables completely. In reality, the war was far closer than monsters care to admit."

Doesn't change the fact that the humans massacred countless monsters all over the world.

What Chara didn't understand was how there wasn't a single human who sympathized with the dying monsters. Out of every human on Earth, how was there not a single one like her, willing to sacrifice their life to save them? As Hemlock had said, just one soul could have changed everything. A single human is all it would have taken to save the monsters from slaughter, but nobody came.

Well, I guess not everyone wants another race to acquire godlike power. Still, not a single person? No desperate hero? No spiteful misanthrope? No psychopath who wanted to watch humanity burn? I was the only one? Am I really that insane?

Hemlock went on to talk about the monsters' eventual surrender, and how seven human magicians imprisoned them under Mount Ebott. Of course, the location of the monsters' prison had been a closely guarded and ultimately forgotten secret until… what Chara had done.

In the aftermath of the war, humanity maintained their global alliance, calling it the 'Human Government.' The Human Government was a union of multiple nations from all across the world united under one banner, operating with a mix of supranational and intergovernmental essentially meant that while individual nations retained their sovereignty, federal laws were also applied to the entire union as needed. About one-thousand-years after the way, the Human Government was renamed the World Government as monsterkind faded into legend... and it sounded cooler.

However, it wasn't always peaceful. Nations would sometimes succeed from the Government, leading to Insurrectionist Wars, and the twentieth century had suffered through two massive wars where the Government had been split in half, known as the Great Wars. It was the second Great War that had lead to the creation of nuclear explosives. Truly, humanity's greatest achievement. Who needed monsters? Humans were going to nuke each other sooner or later.

But despite everything, the World Government remained intact to the present day, September 15th, 2123. Even the worst wars had eventually resolved, and the World Government still consisted of over two hundred nations united all over Earth. Not all of them, but a lot. It was an impressive feat of negotiation, Chara did have to admit.

"But you can learn about that in Civics," Hemlock said. "For now, I'm sure you're all much more interested in the subject of monsters. As I hope you're aware, humanity's next encounter with the monster race wasn't until the early 21st century, one hundred years ago." He looked at Chara. "It just so happens that one of the key figures of this historical event is with us right now."

What was he doing? Chara didn't need a purple soul to tell that some of her classmates were not fond of her.

Hemlock's yellow eyes lit up. "So, what were they like?"

"Huh? What?"

"The monsters! How did they react to seeing their first human in two thousand years?"

"Well, they were terrified at first," Chara said, "and so was I. After being sealed by the barrier, the monsters retreated as deep into the underground as they could, due to their fear of further human attacks. As for myself, I was hesitant to trust anyone. However, after Asriel rescued me, we gradually overcame our fears and began to care deeply for each other. Over time, we became like siblings, and after observing our friendship, monsters began to have faith in humanity."

"Bullshit," a human student muttered.

"You never cared about any of them."

Hemlock ignored them. "You were adopted by the Dreemurr royal family, right? How did the monsters feel about that? Did they consider you a princess?"

Chara blushed. She ran her finger along the delta rune imprinted on her golden heart locket. "Some monsters have called me that, yes."

"Fascinating!" Hemlock exclaimed. "Human monarchies rarely considered adoption to be a legitimate part of a royal family. Monsters appear more inclined to believe that family is stronger than blood, or dust in their case, and not to mention you were, well, a human! Monsters truly are an interesting society!"

A human student named Elodie raised her hand. "Umm, Mr. Hemlock? Not to be rude, but I feel like you're going off-topic."

He nodded. "Ah, yes. I apologize for digressing, but it's not every semester I have such a historical figure in my classroom." He looked at the clock. "Well, there's not much time left. Unless you have any questions, I think I'll let you off early."

The whole classroom perked up, until Elodie raised her hand.

"Yes, Elodie?"

Elodie frowned. "Mr. Hemlock… do you think the Human-Monster War was justified?"

Hemlock frowned too. "A month ago, I would have confidently answered 'no.' However, after Boaris murdered over eleven billion humans and one million monsters, I'm not so sure anymore."

"I see…" She sighed. "Well, I still think it was wrong."

"Yes, you have a compassionate heart, Elodie." He looked around the room. "All right, you can go now."

Everyone wasted no time packing up and leaving. With a few taps on her phone, Chara stored her notebook in her dimensional box and walked out of the classroom. In the hall, Elodie stopped her.

Elodie smiled. "Hey, Chara!"

"U-uh, greetings."

Why are you talking to me?

Elodie giggled. "You talk so funny, Chara."

Elodie was a kindhearted girl who was well-liked among both her teachers and her fellow classmates. She had long hair dyed pink, and she had green eyes. She gave Chara a warm smile.

"How I speak is none of your concern," Chara replied.

"Oh, I'm sorry if I offended you," she apologized. "I didn't mean anything by it."

"Does this conversation have a purpose? If not, I really must be on my way."

Elodie laughed. "A purpose? Well, I just wanted to see if you'd like to join me and my friends for lunch."

What? Who on Earth would want to be friends with me? Well, you know, besides Frisk, Flowey, Mother, Father, Undyne, Alphys, Papyrus, and Napstablook… Yeah…

Despite herself, Chara got a bit flustered. "U-uh, you are kind to offer, but today happens to be my boyfriend's birthday, so…"

"Ah, that's okay! Another time, then. You two have fun!"

Chara smiled. "Umm, thank you. We shall."

Huh, does she really want to be my friend? I almost feel bad for brushing her off. She does seem like a nice person. Perhaps another time.

They parted ways. Chara headed for her next class.

Lunch couldn't have come fast enough. Chara waited by the picnic tables outside the cafeteria. Where was he? He was late. Shouldn't he have gotten here by now?

"Hey there, good-looking!"

Chara turned around to see an obnoxious flirt approach her.

He walked right up to her. "What's a pretty thing like you doing out here all by yourself? What do you say we get a bite to eat? I love a girl with red eyes!"

Agh, he was horrible! But why did he have to be so damn cute? "Hmph, anyone can complement my looks."

"How about your fashion sense, then? I like your hair! I love the way you have it down to your shoulders, just like mine! Look at us! We were meant to be!"

A small laugh escaped Chara's lips. "I admit, you know how to make yourself look good."

He pointed at her locket. "Oh, and what's this? That's a lovely locket! Is it a gift from someone?"

"Why, yes."

"Ah! Have you already found someone who loves you?"

"The boy who gave me this locket does love me, but not in the sense you speak of." She grinned. "However, there is someone else like that in my life."

The flirt gasped and held his chest as if his heart was broken. "Well, they must be a very lucky person."

She moved close to him, very close. "Yes, he is," she whispered.

The flirt started to blush. "Do I know him by any chance?"

Chara draped her arms over his shoulders. "You might…"

She closed her eyes, and she kissed his lips. "Happy birthday, Frisk."

Frisk smiled. "That's the best birthday present I've ever gotten."

Chara giggled. "You're welcome. I'd give you more, but we're kind of in public."

"Heh, yeah. Maybe later?"

She smirked. "I can hardly wait."

Frisk laughed, and they sat down at a table together.

"So, how are you doing?" Frisk asked.

Do you really want to know?

She sighed. "Felicia actually did it. She… she killed Nora."

Frisk frowned. "I'm sorry."

She shook her head. "Don't be. I don't feel sorry for her. I haven't forgotten what she did to my brother."

"But, she had nothing to do with Felicia's death, did she?"

"Probably not. In any case, there's a more important matter to discuss." She lowered her voice. "Frisk, remember that terrorist who practically killed himself with DT? It's kind of hard to tell, but I think Felicia met him."

"Melty?" Frisk asked. "So, he really did have something to do with it."

Chara nodded. "Yes, but–"

"Howdy, my best friends!"

Flowey crawled up on their table. "So, are you two done doing gross stuff yet?"

Chara laughed. "Uh, yeah, we just covered that."

"Good! I'm sure you did something extra repulsive today."

"Extra adorable!" Frisk exclaimed.

"Yeah, yeah, sure. Anyway, happy birthday, Frisk. Can't believe you're fifteen, you're growing up so fast, emotional stuff, happiness, blah blah blah… you get the idea."

"Haha, thanks, Asriel."

"Anyway," Chara said, "Melty said some strange things to Felicia. Apparently, he believed that she was the Demon, and he claimed he wasn't trying to kill her. The implication was that he wished to control her instead of destroying her. Furthermore, Melty said there was someone else who was trying to kill Felicia once and for all."

"Could that be the 'benefactor' he mentioned?" Frisk asked.

"Possibly."

"Wait, hold up," Flowey said. "What's this demon stuff he's talking about?"

"Oh, right," Chara said. "Asriel, you remember the Prophecy, yes? 'The Angel. The One Who Has Seen the Surface. They will return, and the underground will go empty.' Well, the humans made up a similar prophecy. Except instead of an angel returning from the surface, they predicted that a demon will return from the underground. It is said that this Demon will be a genocidal abomination who will destroy the entire world simply to satisfy its wicked ambition."

Flowey held a vine to his chin. "So, basically, Melty is an insane cultist who believes in this demon thing?"

"It would seem so."

"But, that prophecy stuff is just made up, right?"

"Normally, I would agree, but the Angel Prophecy came true, did it not?"

"Oh," Flowey said. "Umm, Chara… you're not saying I was the angel, are you?"

Chara smiled. "Of course you were. You saw the surface, you returned from the dead, and thanks to you, the underground went empty. You're an angel, Asriel."

He frowned. "No, I'm no angel."

"Huh?"

Flowey eyed her with an intense expression on his face. "Do you have any idea what I would have done if Frisk hadn't stopped me?"

"Asriel…"

"Yeah, it's probably best you don't."

Chara knew exactly how he felt. Just as Chara was dealing with her own sins, Flowey was dealing with his.

Frisk smiled. "Well, even angels can make mistakes, right?"

"Yeah, they're called demons," Flowey said.

Frisk kept smiling. "Whether you're an angel or a demon, I still love you. Both of you."

Flowey chuckled. "I guess, but in different ways, right?"

He winked. "Hey, if it weren't for Chara, I just might be interested in those cute petals of yours."

"Oh my God, Frisk." He smirked at Chara. "That doesn't make you jealous, does it?"

"Not at all," Chara answered. "You know I liked you too, but then you rejected me!"

"Yeah, sorry, but I need someone with a bit more fur on their skin," Flowey teased.

"So shallow!"

"Your loss," Frisk said. He smiled at Chara. "Well, I think she's beautiful."

She smiled back. "And I find you very attractive."

Flowey winced. "Hey, I thought you were done with the gross stuff!"

Chara laughed, and she sat on her boyfriend's lap. "What can I say? I just can't help myself with him."

Frisk's face flushed. "Chara…"

She really couldn't help it. She leaned in for another kiss…

"Aww, you two are so cute!"

Chara gasped and frantically jumped off of Frisk. Some girl was walking towards them.

It was Elodie, holding some kind of box. "Oh, sorry if I interrupted you."

THEN WHY DID YOU?!

Frisk smiled. "It's all right, Elodie." He already knew pretty much everyone at the school.

"Haha, thanks," Elodie said. "Frisk, I know it's your birthday, but I actually wanted to give Chara a present."

Chara was shocked. "What? Why?"

"I know how people are so mean to you," Elodie said, "so I just wanted to let you know that not all of us are like that. I want you to feel welcome here."

Frisk grinned. "Aww, thank you!"

"W-wow," Chara breathed. "Umm… what is it?"

With a wide smile, Elodie opened the box. "I heard you love these!"

Chara's mouth salivated. It was…

"Chocolates!"

She wasted no time popping one into her mouth. She chewed the chocolate candy and swallowed. Oh, it was so delicious and sweet! What a great gift! Humans really weren't so bad after…

Chara gagged.

Frisk looked worried. "Are you okay?"

She felt sick. She started coughing. Oh… oh no… not again…

Flowey held her. "Chara, what's wrong?"

She collapsed to her knees and clutched her stomach. It hurt.

Elodie smiled innocently. "Oh, what's the matter, Chara? Got a tummy ache?"

Chara looked up at her. "Wh-what did you put in that chocolate?"

"Cups of butter," Elodie said with a smirk. "Lots and lots of butter cups, and a few other things to make sure it gets the job done."

Frisk stared at her in shocked disbelief. "No, you wouldn't…"

Elodie giggled. "Chara should know better than anyone that some people only pretend to like you."

Frisk clenched his fists. "You…"

Chara's coughs turned bloody. Frisk forgot about Elodie and held her. "Chara!"

Her throat burned, and her breaths grew short and rapid. Her back fell to the ground. She looked up at Frisk and Flowey. They were both horrified.

"N-no," Frisk sobbed. "I w-won't let you die."

The world turned dark and cold. Chara shivered. She held Frisk's hand for warmth. "Frisk…"

Chara vomited a mixture of blood and tar. Frisk and Flowey were covered in dark crimson, but that was the least of their concern. She felt her eyes turn to her hollow, demonic form. Her body began to convulse. It wouldn't be much longer.

Elodie grinned. "DIE, DEMON!"

Chara stared at Frisk and Flowey. She didn't want this. She didn't want to die. She still had to save Asriel. She wanted to see her brother as himself again. She wanted to hold the goat in her arms and swear to never hurt him again, and she wanted to stay with Frisk. She loved him. She wasn't ready to leave him. She wanted a future with him.

But, it didn't matter what she wanted.

Her soul cracked, and it shattered.

FILE LOADED

Chara was back in the picnic table, still shivering from her death by poison chocolate.

With tears in his eyes, Frisk held her tight. "Chara…"

"Frisk…"

Again, Elodie walked up to them, holding the box of poison chocolates. "Hey, there! Frisk, I know it's your birthday, but I actually wanted to…"

Frisk clenched his fists.

Elodie smirked.

Frisk screamed, and he punched Elodie with all his strength, blacking her green eye. Elodie yelped in pain.

Chara didn't know how to feel about Frisk attacking her. She hated seeing Frisk fight, and she couldn't even bring herself to hate Elodie. She wasn't the only person who wanted Chara dead, and for good reason.

Elodie held her eye and smiled. "Frisk, I thought you were a pacifist."

He hit her again. "Oh, I'm sorry. Forgive me if I'm a little upset that you killed my girlfriend!"

A crowd of students quickly gathered, watching the scene.

Elodie pointed at Flowey. "Look at what she's done. Asriel is a fucking flower because of her. She deserves to suffer and die."

"Well, that's too bad," Flowey taunted. "You're not a very bright one, are you? You know Frisk can just reset, right?"

Elodie clenched her teeth. "Why should he? Why does Chara get special treatment? Frisk, do you reset every time someone dies?"

Frisk grimaced.

"No," Elodie hissed. "A couple months ago, my mother died in a car accident. Some drunk idiot crashed right into her. She was a good person, and she never did anything to deserve it. What did you do when she died? Did you reset to save her life?"

Frisk didn't answer.

Elodie stared at him with hatred in her blackened green eyes. "Chara doesn't deserve to live. If it weren't for her, Asriel wouldn't have lost his soul, Asgore wouldn't have killed the other humans, and you wouldn't have had to suffer. She tried to make her own brother murder everyone in her village. She deserves to burn in hell like the demon she is."

Several people in the crowd murmured in agreement. Some even applauded.

"She should have stayed dead," Elodie growled, "but you… you just had to bring her back, just because you want to fuck her! You might as well be a demon like her. No, you're worse. You're her puppet!"

A few more people applauded, but others protested the attack on Frisk, insisting that Chara somehow forced Frisk to revive her.

Frisk frowned. "I'm sorry about your mother. You're right. It's not fair that I can save the ones I love while ignoring others. As I adventured through the underground, I couldn't let a single person die, even when they tried to kill me. Even one death was unacceptable. I had to save everyone.

"But, I can't save everyone. Even with my power, I'm just one human, and as a human, I can't leave behind the ones close to me. I know it's selfish, and I have no excuse for it."

Frisk stared into the whole crowd. "However, I am not anyone's puppet. You may hate Chara for what she did to Asriel. You may hate her for what she tried to do to her village, but do not blame her for the decisions of others. I choose to forgive Chara. I choose to save her of my own free will. You may see her as a manipulative demon, but I see someone who was willing to give up her own life for the people she loved. She never forced me to do anything. I made my choices, and I don't regret them."

Chara's heart swelled. Frisk was so amazing.

Elodie didn't back down. "She's playing you for a fool! She doesn't love you! She's just using you, just like she used Asriel! Do you really believe she's changed? She's not just a demon, she's the Demon! She'll never be happy until the whole world is reduced to an empty void!"

Frisk was about to shout something back, but Chara stopped him. It was her turn to speak.

"I have just one thing to say," Chara said. "You may not believe that I've changed, but I hope you can believe that humanity has changed. If not, it's only a matter of time until the next Human-Monster War."

That sent a chill through the crowd.

Elodie sobbed. "Even if you are sorry, do you think that makes it better? It doesn't! Being sorry doesn't erase what you've done! You're a murderer! So, why?! Why do you get a second chance, but not my mother?! I'll never forgive you for that! N-never!" She ran away, crying.

Poor girl. I know what it's like to lose your mother, and so does Frisk.

She wasn't a bad person. She was just hurt and angry, not unlike Chara herself. Chara wanted to help her, like Frisk would.

Frisk held Chara's hand. "Come on, let's get of here."

Flowey hopped on her shoulder. "We've got better things to do."

"I want to help her," she said.

Frisk frowned. "Oh, Chara… that's wonderful, but I don't think it's going to be easy..."

She took a deep breath. "I know…"

"That's weird," Flowey said."You want to help her, while Frisk just sucker punched her? Kind of a role reversal, don'tcha think?"

"Mhm, perhaps," Chara said, "but I understand why someone would hate me. I cannot blame her."

"I just hate seeing Chara get hurt," Frisk said.

"Ah, I see," Flowey said. "So Chara can't hate Elodie because of her guilty conscience, and Frisk hates her because he's sick of how people treat Chara."

Frisk whimpered. "I mean, hate might be a strong word. I would forgive her if she comes around and apologizes."

"Sure, sure," Flowey said.

Chara gave an embarrassed smile. "Hey, can we ditch school for the day?"

"Heh, I guess we can afford a sick day," Frisk said.

"Thank you," Chara said.

They walked away from the picnic area. They ducked behind one of the classroom halls. As soon as they were out of sight, Frisk grabbed Chara and hugged her. "I'm so sorry people treat you like that."

She returned the hug. "It's okay."

"It's not okay! I can't stand seeing people hurt you so much!" He held her tighter. "Chara, if I didn't have my resets, you would be dead. I'm… I'm not ready to lose you."

"Cheer up, Frisk," Chara said. "Had you not been World Master, Elodie would have acted differently. If you hadn't reset, she would have gone to prison. She was counting on you to reset. I don't think she really wants to kill me; she just wanted to ruin my day."

"Huh, that's an interesting way of looking at it," Frisk said. "I hope you're right... I'm not ready to lose you."

"I'm not ready to leave you, either." She held his cheek. "I love you."

"I love you too."

Chara moved her hand up and down Frisk's back, feeling his warmth. Frisk smiled. He pressed his chest against hers, and he kissed her. Chara closed her eyes and felt her lips tingle pleasantly as she locked them with Frisk's. As they kissed, Chara felt warm, safe, and loved, and that was more than she could ask for.

Eventually, Chara pulled back and caught her breath. "Heh, thanks for that."

He smiled lovingly. "Anytime, my Chara."

"Hey, I'm still here," Flowey said.

Chara let go of Frisk and smiled at him. "Don't worry, I haven't forgotten you."

"Anyway, Frisk," Flowey said, "you did good work today. I really liked the part where you punched Elodie. That was very satisfying."

Frisk made an embarrassed smile. "Yeah, that wasn't very pacifistic of me, was it?"

"Don't worry," Chara said, "you're still a pacifist. A paci-fist!" She winked.

Flowey groaned, and Frisk laughed. "Thanks, Chara."

"Seriously, though," Flowey said, "doesn't everyone have bigger things to worry about than you, Chara? The human-monster situation gets more tense every day, and everyone's still freaking out about you."

Yes, all the hatred for Chara was almost overshadowing hatred for Boaris. While Boaris had unleashed destruction on a terrifying scale, it lacked the personal, sentimental touch of how Chara had almost manipulated Asriel into murdering humans, and unlike Boaris, Chara's actions had real consequences. Because of Chara, Asriel had lost his soul, but Boaris? Boaris allowed Frisk to simply reset everything he had done. In the end, he had not really done anything.

That wasn't to say people didn't hate Boaris. Far from it. He was despised by both humans and monsters. Still, they hadn't exactly forgotten about Chara. People really believed she was the Demon from the prophecy, the one who would destroy everything.

Hmm…

If it came down to it, perhaps Chara could use that to her advantage.

Chapter Text

When it was all over, he wished me goodnight.

He told me to let Frisk go.

He told me to let Frisk be happy.

But I cannot sleep.

Felicia returned home.

Mother greeted her at the entrance. Felicia was surprised that she was still home. She was certain that Mother would be off on president business by now. If she was here, where was Father? Was he avoiding her?

No, there he was. Father stumbled into the hall, holding a half-empty bottle of wine. Oh, God…

"H-hey there, Felicia," Father slurred.

"You're drunk," Felicia bluntly said.

He held his bottle high. "Wh-what tipped you off?"

She couldn't believe it. The nerve of him! "What the hell, Father? How can you drink at a time like this?"

He hiccuped. "How could I not? Someone's trying to murder my daughter, and instead of staying safe, she just runs straight into danger. B-besides, it's not like she listens to me anyway."

Mother scowled at him. "Why should she listen to you? You can't even control yourself."

"Oh, fuck you!"

"That'll be difficult in your condition, but I'm game."

"Not like that!"

"What a shame. I guarantee I can provide much more comfort than your bottles."

Felicia's face flushed. "HEY!"

"Yeah, Elizabeth," Father mocked. "First you let her hunt down murderers, and now you talk like that right in front of our thirteen-year-old daughter? That's some real Mother of the Year material there!"

"You're one to talk!" Mother retorted. "Drinking and cursing in front of her! You're setting an excellent example!"

Father took a big swig of his wine. "Whatever."

They've been like this for so long…

Mother sighed and looked at Felicia. "I'm sorry. How did things go today?"

"Well," Felicia said, "it quite thoroughly sucked."

"Did you at least learn anything about Nora?"

She grimaced. "I… I no longer believe she's guilty."

"How do you know? Are you sure?"

Sweat trickled down Felicia's brow. What could she say? How could she tell her mother that she tormented and killed someone who was innocent all along?

"Felicia, what happened? Felicia!"

No, she had to tell her. She couldn't lie to her. Mother always said that honesty was essential to running a healthy family. She was a blue SOUL, after all. A SOUL of integrity. Felicia had to tell her the truth.

She took a deep breath. "Mother… I… I killed her."

Mother's blue eyes widened. "What…?"

Father took another gulp of wine. "I'm gonna need another bottle."

"You mean, she's dead?" Mother asked.

"Oh, no! No!" Felicia assured her. "I reset after, but before that…"

"What the fuck, Felicia?!"

She sobbed. "I wanted to prove it was her. I thought I could make her admit it, but all it did was convince me she was innocent." Tears ran down her face. "I'm so sorry!"

Mother was unmoved. "So, without any proof, you tortured and murdered an innocent girl, just because you thought she might be guilty?!"

"H-hey! You thought it was her, too! You told me to investigate her however I wanted!"

"Not that, obviously! I thought you understood restraint, not to mention a sense of common decency. Hmm… maybe your father is right; you're not ready for this."

"Yes!" Father cheered.

Felicia gasped. She couldn't mean that! "M-Mother! No! I am ready! I know I messed up, but I swear it won't happen again!"

"You should be ashamed of yourself," Mother scolded. "Your actions have dishonored your name, our name. The Military Police will take it from here."

"Please give me another chance!" Felicia begged. "I'll figure this out, and I'll make you proud! I promise!"

"No, you're done. Go to your room."

Father uttered a drunken laugh. "Yeah, you're grounded!"

No, Mother couldn't do this! Felicia was so happy when she trusted her with this responsibility, and now she was taking it away? She couldn't let that happen! "Wait!" she exclaimed. "I have made progress. Nora may not be involved, but I found someone who is!"

"I'm listening."

Felicia told her everything about her encounter with Monty. She told her how Monty defeated Flora, how he related Felicia to the Demon from the prophecy, and how he claimed not to be the actual killer.

"Do you know anything about him?" Felicia asked.

Mother shook her head. "I can have our intelligence officers run a search, but I've never heard of this man."

"His red eyes should narrow the search down," Father said, before sipping his wine. "Y-yeah, that should help. Right?"

Yes, red SOULs made up roughly 2.3% of the human population, about one in forty-three people. On top of that, they had a name, and Felicia could try drawing a picture of his face. Whoever Monty was, he couldn't stay hidden for long.

"If we are to believe this Monty," Mother said, "there is still another enemy at large. Felicia, I stand by my judgement. You are to remain here until all your assailants have been apprehended, for your safety, as well as the safety of others."

Felicia's SOUL sank. "But, I still want to help! What about the scientists? They could still be involved! Let me do something!"

"And what can you do?" Father asked. "What can you do that the Military Police can't?"

Well…

What can I do?

"I don't know!" she yelled. "Something! Anything! I told you; I can't just sit around trapped in here! I need to control my fate!"

"Felicia," Mother said, "sometimes, you need to accept that you can't control everything. No one can. However, you always have a choice. Right now, you may choose to stay here where it's safe and bide your time, or you may choose to disobey me and continue pursuing an enemy you don't understand."

"But…"

"Tell you what," Mother said, "if you can come to me with an actual plan, I may let you carry it out. Until then, I can no longer trust you to handle this yourself. It's clear that this whole thing has affected you."

Felicia sniffled. "Okay. I guess that's fair."

"Say, why don't go see your brother?" Mother suggested. "He's been in his room all day."

"Y-yeah, I should. I hope he's doing okay."

Yes, that was a good idea. Eventually, Felicia was going to kill Monty and whoever was helping him, but for now, she needed to rest and check on Jacob. She hadn't seen him sense killing Kawasaki. She had to make sure he was okay.

Father finished off his bottle. "That's the most sensible thing you've said all day. Now, if you'll excuse me, I really need another bottle."

Hearing that made Felicia eager to leave.

"Felicia," Mother said with a commanding tone, "I want you to think about what you've done. You may be able to reset your actions, but your sins aren't so easy to erase."

She solemnly nodded. "I understand."

"I thought I raised you better than this. Perhaps there's a reason why you love monsters so much."

"I'm sorry…"

Felicia left her mother and drunk father and headed for Jacob's room. Although, there was no rush. She took a slight detour and walked out into the center courtyard, an open garden in the middle of the mansion. Along the cobblestone pathways were patches of hydrangeas, buttercups, sunflowers, and golden flowers. In the center of the garden was a stone fountain; the setting sunlight gleamed over its flowing water. Felicia walked to the fountain and looked at her reflection. Her face stared back at her, but was it still her? She didn't know.

In the reflection, she saw a familiar pair of light blue eyes behind her. She jumped and turned around. "Flora?"

"My apologizes," Flora said. "I did not intend to startle you."

Felicia calmed herself. "It's okay."

"How are you feeling?" Flora asked.

Felicia frowned and looked back at her reflection. "Like a murderer."

Mother was right. She may have reset, but she still remembered how hatefully she cut down Nora. She never thought she would do something like that. How could she? Had she changed, or was that who she was all along?

Extra ripples ran through the fountain's water.

Flora held her shoulder. "Felicia… do not beat yourself over this."

"You don't remember," she said. "If you remembered, you wouldn't say that."

"I doubt that very much. Nora forgives you, does she not?"

"She doesn't remember, either."

Flora pulled Felicia close, and she hugged her. "F-Flora?"

"It's all right," Flora said. "Even if you make a few mistakes, I shall continue to serve you."

Flora's tone suggested she was more than a servant; she truly was a second mother to her. With a warmth in her soul, Felicia returned the embrace. "Th-thank you, Flora."

"I am here to protect you, Felicia. I may have failed last time, but if someone attacks you again, I will not fall so easily."

"Hey, don't go beating yourself up right after comforting me."

"Heh, very well."

Felicia pulled back and wiped her eyes. "All right. I need to go see my brother now."

Flora bowed. "Farewell, and do not worry about Jacob. I checked on him a few minutes ago. He is safe inside his room."

She waved goodbye. "Bye, Flora."

Felicia went through the courtyard and back inside. She walked through the polished halls and finally reached Jacob's room. She knocked on his door. "Jacob? It's me, Felicia."

No response.

"Jacob…? Are you in there?"

No response.

"JACOB!"

But nobody came.

Calm down, Felicia. No need to panic. He must have stepped out, that's all.

Still…

A peak won't hurt.

Felicia slowly turned the knob and gently pushed the door. She looked inside.

Jacob was there, lying facedown on the ground. There was a knife in his back, and a pool of blood around his corpse.

Lying on the floor beside Napstablook, Chara stared at the ceiling, which gradually dissolved, replaced by the cosmos of space. Soon, she was surrounded by stars, galaxies, and nebulae.

The stars were so pretty.

Very, very pretty.

Yeah…

Chara kept lying there.

It was amazing.

She was in space. Space. So much space. She loved space. She had to see it all.

SPAAAAAAACE!

There was nothing Chara would rather be doing right now.

Absolutely nothing.

She didn't move.

She remained motionless.

Seriously, why move? Just look at the stars…

It was so comfortable; Chara felt like she would never get up.

Ever….

Chara looked at another galaxy and wondered if there were any aliens there. Say, whenever Frisk reset, did their worlds reset too? Humans learned to track resets, right? Were they aware of the resets? Somewhere, was an alien civilization freaking out wondering what the hell is going on? Did they have determination? How come they never got reset powers? How had they not invaded Earth and wiped out humanity yet? That'd be the day.

Oh, but they'd probably kill the monsters too, and Frisk. Bad idea.

But enough of that. Chara wasn't here to think. She was here to look at the stars, and do absolutely nothing else.

She thought about Asriel. What would he say if he saw her moping like this? She thought about Frisk. What would he say if he caught her giving up?

Chara, please… Wake up! You are the future of humans and monsters…

Father…

Don't lose hope! Chara! Stay determined!

Hope…

Chara! You have to stay determined! You can't give up! You…

"Hey."

The stars disappeared. Chara was back in Napstablook's house. "Wh-what?"

"Umm… I'm sorry," Napstablook apologized, "but I don't think you're supposed to do it for longer than three hours…"

THREE HOURS?!

"I'm so sorry!" Chara apologized. "I had no idea I was out that long!"

"It's okay," they said. "I sometimes do it for two hours. I'm impressed. You're even better at my family tradition than I am."

I'm not sure if that's flattering…

Chara got up, stretched, and yawned. The good news was, she felt great. Napstablook's meditation allowed her to rest without actually sleeping. She felt more well-rested than she had in weeks.

"Oh, thanks Blooky," she purred. "That really helped."

"Oh, well… I'm glad," they replied.

She smiled. "Seriously, Blooky. You're a hero."

They almost blushed. "Ah, gee…"

Chara reacquainted herself with reality. Despite being paid a handsome salary from Mettaton, Napstablook choose to live in a house pretty much identical to the one they had underground. Just one room with a wooden floor, a TV, a computer, a refrigerator, and a pile of music CDs. Chara supposed a ghost didn't need much out of a house. Then again, this was Napstablook…

Napstablook levitated a CD and handed it to Chara. "Hey, uh, I made a new song. Would you… care to listen?"

"Sure!" Chara put it in the computer and played it.

"I call it Ghost Fight," Napstablook said.

The track was more upbeat than most of Napstablook's songs. It had somewhat of a jazz feel, and for some reason, it reminded Chara of the time Frisk met Napstablook. He had to stop them from crying by cheering them up, and of course he flirted with them. Oh, Frisk. He was crazy, but that's what Chara loved about him.

The song was actually pretty good! Napstablook had gotten a lot better since Mettaton hired them.

"This is great!" Chara exclaimed.

"Thank you," they replied. "Hey, Chara… you're a good human, like Frisk, even though you both have red eyes."

Uh, what?

Okay, Napstablook wouldn't just blurt out a bigoted comment like that. There had to be a reason.

"What do you mean?" Chara asked.

"Oh, you don't know. I'm sorry."

"Know what?"

"Monsters had a saying," Napstablook explained. "Well, more like a warning. 'Beware the human with red eyes. For if this human is struck with the desire to kill, they will not only be a threat to monsters, but to humanity as well.' I think it started sometime after you… you know."

"Oh…"

Hmm… it seems that even monsters have some concept of the Demon. I wonder… is there really more to this than a mere fairy tale? Perhaps Sans knows something.

"Napstablook, do you know where that warning came from?"

"I think the River Person started it."

The River Person… probably not the most reliable source of information. Still, Chara was too curious to brush it off completely.

The song finished.

"I see," Chara said. "Thanks again for your help."

"It was nothing. Really, that's what it was, not doing anything."

"Hey, doing nothing and not doing anything are two very different things."

"Heh, I don't get it, but okay."

Chara laughed. "Okay, I really need to get home before Mother worries. See you later, Blooky."

"See you."

Chara waved goodbye and left Napstablook's home. She walked outside into the cold night air of Surface Home. She headed back home to Toriel.

Actually…

Maybe Chara could get something done first. Chara took out her phone and called Sans.

"Heya."

"Sans, it's me. Can we talk?"

"Uh-uh."

"it's important. Can we meet at your place? I'm in the Ghost District right now."

"Yeah, sure."

"Great! I'll see you–"

"That's a cool story."

Huh?

"A real cool story. Leave a message, and I'll be sure to call you backbone. Whenever I feel like it."

Beep!

ARE YOU SERIOUS?!

Okay, so Sans was useless, but maybe there was someone else who could shed some light on this demon thing. What about Asgore? Chara hadn't seen him in a while, so even if he didn't know anything, it'd be nice to spend some time with him.

Chara called him.

"Chara?"

"Greetings, Father. I was wondering if I could come see you."

"Oh, certainly! It has been a while, hasn't it?"

"Yeah, I'm sorry for not doing this sooner. I'll be right over."

"I'll be waiting. Have you been doing all right?"

"Yeah, yeah."

"I'm glad to hear that. See you home."

"See you there."

Chara hung up. Yeah, this was probably better than seeing Sans. Asgore was the king of monsters. He had to have known something about this red-eyed human thing. Asgore would tell her everything he knew, while Sans would just dodge every question Chara threw at him with a cheeky remark. Besides, she really did need to see her father.

Chara started walking to Asgore's house in the center of Surface Home. As she walked. both humans and monsters were affected by her presence. Some turned away in fear, others glared at her with hatred, and only a few looked at her with sympathy in their eyes. She tried to ignore them, unsuccessfully. She just wanted to walk to her father's home unnoticed. She just wanted to be left alone, but they wouldn't stop judging her.

After a painfully long walk, Chara reached Asgore's house. It looked similar to his old house from underground, but this one wasn't an identical replica. That would have been kind of pathetic, to be honest. It did have a dining room and kitchen on the left, and there were two, not three, bedrooms on the right. Instead of a staircase leading to a basement, there was simply a glass door that led to the backyard garden.

And, the whole house was adorned with golden flowers.

Asgore let Chara inside. He sat her down at the dining room table, where he had a hot cup of golden flower tea ready for her. For a while, they just talked about little things. Chara talked about school, her magic training, Asriel, and her other monster friends. She talked about Elodie, who Chara had been attempting to befriend. Elodie was still acting cold to her, but it seemed she had given up trying to murder her. That was progress, right?

"I am proud of you," Asgore said. "I wish you did not have to face such situations, but the way you are confronting Elodie is impressive."

Chara smirked. "What? Most of Frisk's friends tried to kill him. It's just how we make new friends!"

Asgore laughed. "You still have your sense of humor."

"Haha, yeah." She sighed. All right, that was enough small talk. "Father, the truth is, I didn't come here just to see you. There is an important matter I wish to discuss."

Asgore nodded. "Very well."

"Father, I recently heard about some sort of waring spread among monsters. Something about a red-eyed human, like myself, being a threat to humans and monsters alike. Do you know anything about it?"

"Yes, I have heard that warning," Asgore said. "Sometime after you died, the River Person started saying many strange things. Err, even more strange things, that is. Among these was the warning you spoke of. They claimed it was a message from 'The Man Who Speaks in Hands,' whoever that may be."

The Man Who Speaks in Hands…

Chara laughed. "You know, that kind of sounds like Gaster. That goofball loved to write in wingdings for some reason."

Asgore sipped his tea. "Who's Gaster?"

What…?

Chara gave him a funny look. "What do you mean who's Gaster? You know Gaster. Everyone knows Gaster! He invented the Core! He's one of the underground's greatest heroes!"

"Hmm? What are you talking about? Temmie invented the Core."

What?!

Chara pictured the Temmies standing proudly in front of the newly completed Core, giving a speech in their broken English. It was ridiculous.

"How the hell could Temmie invent the Core?!" Chara exclaimed. "Which Temmie?"

"The one from the Tem Shop," he answered.

"Really?" Chara deadpanned. "Temmie? Before she even went to college? Since when was Temmie an expert in geothermal magic-electrical engineering?"

Asgore took another sip of his tea. "I am surprised I have never questioned this before."

"Seriously, Father! How could you just forget Gaster?!"

"I… I don't know what to tell you. I have no memory of this man."

What the hell? This doesn't make any sense.

As Chara tried to make sense of this, she remembered a part of the Re:Zero anime that she was watching with Alphys and the others. At one point, one of the characters disappeared in a cloud of smoke created by one of the feral monsters. Afterwards, everyone but the main character had lost all memory of her. Not only that, but reality itself had been rewritten to make it like she never even existed. The whole world was the same, except that one character didn't exist. She had never existed. Had Gaster suffered a similar fate?

Oh my God… anime IS real!

"You really don't remember?" Chara asked. "The name Gaster truly means nothing to you?"

Asgore shook his head.

"This is wrong," Chara breathed. "Gaster doesn't deserve to just be… forgotten like this."

"I am sorry," Asgore said. "Chara, I know you would not intentionally make this up, but do you think it's possible that you're the one who's confused?"

"But, the River Person remembers! And I bet Sans remembers too! He wasn't completely erased! In fact…"

Chara called Flowey, putting her phone on speaker mode.

"Howdy, Chara!"

"Hey, Asriel, you remember Gaster, yes?"

"Oh, yeah, I guess you'd remember too. Hehe… yeah, everyone just forgot about the guy. It's very strange."

Chara looked at Asgore. "See? I'm not crazy!"

He was at a loss for words.

"Asriel," Chara said, "do you have any idea what happened?"

"No idea."

She sighed. "All right. Thanks anyway."

"Okay! Hey, are you coming home or what?"

"No, I'm staying with Father tonight."

"Oh, I see. I'll tell Mom and Frisk for you."

"Thanks. See you later."

"See you soon!"

Chara hung up.

"This is a lot to take in," Asgore said. "You will have to tell me more about this Gaster, but not now. It is getting rather late. I'll allow you to rest for tonight."

Chara nodded. "Yes, thank you. I suppose I shall spend the night here."

"Of course. The guest room is open to you."

"Thanks, Father."

Chara left for the bathroom and got ready for bed. As she did, she thought about what Asgore told her. What happened to Gaster was unfortunate, but it confirmed Chara's suspicions. If that warning was from Gaster, he would not have given it lightly. Gaster had learned the truth. As absurd as it sounded, the Demon truly was no fairy tale.

It was a real threat.

All those destroyed timelines, monsters weren't responsible for their destruction. Somehow, creatures like Chara were capable of it. She didn't know how, but it was clearly possible. Chara stifled a laugh. All this time, humans thought monsters were the greatest threat to the world, but the truth was, humans were capable of destroying the world all by themselves! All along, they were the real threat!

"Pfft… ha… hahaha! AHAHAHA!"

N-no…

She bit her lip and took a deep breath. She promised that she would stop this. She couldn't let her hatred consume her, not this time. Especially not this time.

Chara finished up and went inside the guest room. Her phone rang. It was Frisk. With a smile, Chara answered. "Greetings, Frisk."

"Hey, Chara! So, you're staying with Asgore tonight? That's nice! I'll miss you, though."

"Aww, don't worry. We'll see each other again soon."

"Yeah, I know. We are spoiled, aren't we?"

"Heh, I guess so."

"So, how was your day?"

"It was good," Chara answered. "I hung out with Napstablook. Their mediation thing really helped clear my mind."

"Oh, that's cool! I just played some games with Asriel. He totally stomped me, but it was fun."

"Haha, I'm glad you two are getting along."

"Yeah. Even now, he's a great friend."

"Tell him that I wish him goodnight."

"Sure thing!" He yawned. "Now you're making me tired."

"Ready to turn in?"

"Yeah," Frisk said. "Hey, umm… will you be okay by yourself?"

"Yes, don't worry so much."

"All right, all right! I'll see you later, Chara."

She smirked. "See you later, handsome."

Frisk laughed. "I love you."

"I love you too."

"Goodnight, Chara."

"'Night, my Frisk."

Chara ended the call, and she realized she wasn't alone. She turned around and saw Asgore, his mouth agape. What? Why was he acting so surprised?

Didn't we…?

Did we…?

Oh my God…

We never told him.

Asgore took a deep breath. "S-sorry. I have heard, but seeing it firsthand is still a bit of a shock."

Right, there was absolutely no way he hadn't heard. It was far from secret. People were kind of freaking out over Chara's relationship with Frisk. They refused to believe that Chara's love for him was sincere.

Although, there were some people who thought they were cute. Chara loved those people.

"Sorry," Chara apologized. "We should have talked to you about it a long time ago. Like, two months ago…"

"It's all right," Asgore said. "I am happy for you. Both of you."

She smiled. "Thank you. I love him, with all my heart."

"I believe that's all that needs to be said on the matter. Just don't do anything irresponsible, all right?"

Chara sighed. "Yes, Father."

He laughed, and he turned to leave. "Goodnight, Chara."

She smiled. "Goodnight, Father."

Asgore left. Chara collapsed on the bed. This night was going to be a tough one, to put it lightly. Chara had a feeling she knew who killed Jacob this time. She sensed that it wouldn't be much longer until Felicia...

After a long period of restlessness, Chara fell asleep.

Chapter Text

"Tears ahead."

-Random  Dark Souls  guy

Felicia sprinted through the halls and headed straight for Jacob's room. Was she too late? Had it happened already? She reached his room and shoved the door open. Jacob was inside, unharmed, but very confused.

"Felicia?"

Felicia ran to him and squeezed him in her arms. "J-Jacob…"

"Wh-what's this for?"

She let go of him and closed the door. "Jacob, someone's coming to kill you, right now."

He whimpered. "I died again? I'm sorry."

"Shut up and get behind me!" Felicia pushed him to the back of the room and clutched her knife. Before long, she heard footsteps.

All right, show yourself. This time, you won't lay a finger on him!

Someone knocked on the door. "Jacob? May I come in?"

No… it can't be…

'… and do not worry about Jacob. I checked on him a few minutes ago.'

No, no no no no no. No!

The door opened, and Flora stepped inside. "Jacob, are you…? Oh, Felicia, what–"

A chill ran down Felicia's spine. "Flora…"

Flora cocked her head. "Hmm? What is the matter?"

"Flora, empty your pockets."

"Huh? Why do you need–"

"Just do it!"

"U-umm… all right." Flora complied. On the floor, she laid down her keys, her wallet, her phone, a pack of mints…

And a knife.

It was no kitchen knife. It was a dagger, designed to kill, the same one that killed Jacob.

Felicia pointed to it. "What is that for?"

Flora picked it up. "This? I always have–"

Felicia thrust her own knife at her. "DROP IT!"

"F-Felicia…"

Hearing Felicia's cry, Mother came into the room running. "Felicia! What…?"

With wide eyes, Flora dropped her knife. "I…"

"SECURITY!"

At Mother's command, two Military Police officers came in and seized Flora. They dragged her out into the hallway. Felicia and the others followed.

"W-wait," Flora gasped, "this is a terrible misunderstanding. I would never harm either one of them."

"Felicia," Mother said, "care to explain what happened?"

Felicia frowned. "I had to reset. Right around this time, someone killed Jacob. I found him dead, with a knife in his back. I decided to reset and ambush the killer, and… she came."

Flora turned as pale as a ghost. "Wh-what?! Felicia! I would never–"

Mother violently slapped her. "Quiet, traitor!"

She sobbed. "I would never hurt you."

Why? Why did she have to deny it? It would have been so much easier if she had just admitted it, then Felicia would know she was telling the truth. Now? Felicia didn't know what to believe.

"That knife was the same one that killed Jacob," Felicia said. "Why else would you have it?"

"Part of my obligation is to protect you," Flora answered. "Yes, it is a weapon, but to be used against those who would harm you, never for murder."

I didn't see her use it against Monty. Then again, the fight didn't last very long, especially not up close. Did she lose on purpose?

Mother went back into Jacob's room and returned with the knife. "Is that so? Then what was this knife doing in my son's back?"

Flora trembled. "I… I do not know."

"No, I think I know exactly why it was there. I thought I could trust you, but it turns out you're just another Kawasaki."

Tears welled up in Flora's light blue eyes. "I've known your children for years now. I've taken care of them, watched them grow. They've become precious to me, as if they were my own."

Mother balled up her fists. "They are not your children, not after what you did to them."

"Th-they're important to me."

Mother looked at Jacob. "What do you think? Is she telling the truth?"

Jacob was silent for a while.

"Jacob, did Flora kill you?"

He grimaced.

"Jacob! Felicia's life depends on this!"

His body shaking, Jacob said, "I… I think it was Flora."

Flora's tears streaked down her face. "N-no, I swear I did not."

Felicia walked up to her and looked her in the eyes. She saw agony, sorrow, fear, but no malice. There was no hatred in Flora's eyes. Was she really that good at acting?

Mother wasn't convinced. "I've heard enough. Guards, arrest her."

The officers seized Flora's arms and handcuffed her.

"Attempted murder, of a child," Mother growled. "You are going to rot in prison for the rest of your life."

Flora sobbed, but she did not argue further. Her shoulders slumped in defeat.

Everything about this felt wrong. Flora denied any wrongdoing, but isn't that what she would say regardless? How could Felicia know if she was telling the truth? How could she know if anyone was telling the truth? Anyone around her could have been her enemy in disguise, even the ones she thought of as family. Could she accept that? Felicia thought Flora loved her. Could she accept living in a world where even the ones she trusted most could betray her?

Felicia screamed.

Everyone's heads turned to face her. Jacob winced. "Sister…"

Felicia ran to Flora and once again stared into her eyes. "Flora, tell me just one more time, tell me it wasn't you."

Flora stared back at her. "I did not harm Jacob."

That was all she needed to hear. Maybe she was a fool. Maybe Flora really was deceiving her, but she didn't care. Even if it earned her a knife in the back, Felicia was going to trust her.

"I believe you," she replied. She stared at her mother. "Let her go."

Mother sighed. "Felicia, I understand you don't want to repeat the same mistakes you made with Nora, but this is different. This must be done."

"No!"

"Felicia…"

"She's innocent!"

"Did you not hear Jacob?" Mother challenged. "Jacob, you said it was Flora, did you not?"

Jacob whimpered. "I… I…"

"Jacob…"

He buried his face in his hands. "I don't know!"

Mother let out another frustrated sigh. "It doesn't matter. Someone is trying to kill my children, and Flora is the prime suspect. Take her away."

No, Felicia wasn't going to accept this. There was a better way.

Mother saw her. "Felicia! Don't re–"

Felicia gently opened the door. Jacob was inside. "Felicia?"

She smiled, and she hugged her brother. "Are you doing all right?"

"Uh… yeah, I'm okay. How about you?"

"I've been better."

"Oh…"

Felicia gave him a pat on the back. "But don't worry. Everything is going to be fine."

"If you say so."

Soon, someone entered the room. "Jacob, are you…? Oh, Felicia." She smiled. "I see you wasted no time coming here."

Felicia smiled back. "Yeah."

With her magic, Flora could have easily killed both of them if she wanted to.

"I just wanted to check on Jacob," Flora said. "Are you doing okay?"

Jacob nodded. "Yes, I'm fine."

"Good to hear. Do you need anything?"

"No, I'm all right."

"Okay, that is all. Stay safe."

"See you."

Flora bowed, and just like that, she left.

Perhaps Felicia's presence deterred her, or perhaps she was somehow aware that Felicia had reset. It was still possible that Flora was the killer, but Felicia didn't care. Maybe it was foolish, but even if it earned her a knife in the back, she was going to trust Flora.

Felicia heard a noise coming from outside. It sounded like… clapping, slow clapping. It grew closer. Already? Could she not have a chance to breathe? Quietly, Felicia shoved Jacob behind her. Was this the person who really killed him?

The clapping man entered the room. He was wearing a Military Police uniform, and his red eyes stared at Felicia smugly.

Monty smiled. "Well played."

Felicia whipped out her knife. Pointless, since Monty could turn her to ash with his magic, but it was the thought that counted. "How the hell did you get in here?!"

He chuckled and pointed at the insignia on his uniform. "What does it look like? I work here, as part of this mansion's upgraded security, to protect you."

That doesn't make any sense!

"But, my parents said they didn't know you," Felicia said. "No, you stole that uniform!"

"That's one possibility, but here's thing: I may be a murderer, but I'm an honest murderer. Really, it's the ones who pretend to love you that you have to watch out for."

Felicia grit her teeth. "Shut up! You killed Jacob!"

Monty laughed and held up his hands. "Wasn't me."

"Liar!" Felicia charged at him. Monty pulled out his pistol and shot her in the leg. She groaned in pain and fell to the floor.

Jacob gasped. "Felicia!"

Monty shot him in the head. His body died instantly, and his SOUL hovered over it.

Where was Mother? "M-Mom!" Felicia yelled. "He's here! Help!"

But nobody came.

Monty shot Jacob's SOUL, shattering it. Felicia's ears rang from the gunshots. Monty knelt down to face her. "Heh, well, now I killed Jacob."

Felicia said nothing. She just glared at him.

"Great job with Flora, by the way. You were right; she was innocent. I think you've earned a reward. I think it's time you finally learned the truth."

She struggled to stand up. "Why should I believe a word you say?"

"Come on, Felicia. Isn't it obvious who really wants you dead? Can you not tell who's manipulating you?"

She got back on her feet. "Shut up."

"It's so obvious that it's her. You just refuse to accept it."

Felicia ignored him, and she limped out into the hall.

"Did you really buy her little performances every time you and Jacob died? It's her. The one who was always the first to point to her finger. The one who encouraged you to confront Nora, and the one who tried to make you feel like shit for doing it."

No, you're lying.

"You were looking for a liar, and she's been lying to you this whole time. She's always changing her stance when it suits her. Didn't you find the way she changed her mind about letting you take responsibility awfully sudden? Just one little mistake, and you're off the case? No, she just wanted you to blame yourself. She wanted you to feel like you deserved death. She may have an integrity SOUL, but perhaps that is the greatest lie of all."

Get away from me.

"Did you know that green SOULs actually make great assassins? Having a kindness SOUL just means you have the skill to show kindness; it means you're good at it. It doesn't mean you have to actually be kind. Be careful with them. They may give you a warm smile, and a gentle stab."

Felicia limped through the halls, leaving a trail of blood from her bullet wound. She almost tripped over Flora's corpse. Where was Mother? Maybe she was in the garden.

"She never wanted a daughter. She wanted someone to carry on her legacy. That's why she always talked about 'making her proud' and how you 'dishonored your name.' She always says that anyone who harms a Malcom does not go unpunished, and Malcoms themselves are no exception to her. She even called you a monster. What kind of mother calls her own child a monster? Well, besides actual monsters, I guess."

"Shut. Up."

"But who can blame her? You want to set free an entire race of beings with the potential to become gods. How many of them do you think are down there? Can't be more than a million, I imagine. You are risking the lives of ten billion people for the sake of one million. I'm not a gambling man, but I don't like those stakes."

Felicia limped out into the garden. She was right! Mother was there, standing by the fountain. Felicia moved towards her.

Mother saw her, and she saw Monty behind her.

"Mother!" Felicia cried. "That's Monty! He killed Jacob!"

"…So it is," Mother said. She approached him. "I take it our trick with Flora didn't work?"

"Not quite," Monty answered. "We had her going, but she reset in the end."

She took out a replica of Flora's knife. "What a shame."

N-no…

Panting, Felicia collapsed to the ground, sickened to her core. Her vision grew cloudy and dark. How could Mother…?

Elizabeth looked down at her with dead blue eyes. "I suppose the truth will have to suffice."

"Why?" Felicia breathed.

Monty stomped on her face. "Were you not listening to a word I said?"

Felicia whimpered, and she closed her eyes. She just wanted it all to end.

Monty sounded genuinely disappointed. "Really? It was that easy? I expected more from a fellow DT SOUL."

"Go to hell," Felicia muttered.

"Do you think I'm enjoying this?" Elizabeth asked. "No, I am not happy that I have to kill my own daughter, but you've given me no choice."

"No choice? Haha… such a cliché."

"When you first started gushing over monsters, I was going to let it go. I figured you were relatively harmless. There was always Jacob, after all. But then, you just had to become the World Master, and that changed everything. You were harmless no longer; you became a threat to the entire world. I cannot let that stand."

"So, you're just going to kill me?"

Elizabeth frowned. "Yes."

"I loved you…"

"I wish I could say I loved you as well, but even I'm not that much of a hypocrite."

"So, what now?"

"That depends on you," Monty said. "What we want is quite simple. We simply need you to die, and not reset."

"But, I thought you wanted something else?"

He smiled. "Yes, and I shall have it. We'll both get what we want."

"What…?"

"Obviously, we want you to reset first," Elizabeth said. "Reset all the way back to when this started, and we'll take care of the rest. It'll be like none of this ever happened."

"What will happen to Jacob?"

"It's likely he will become the next World Master. Hopefully, he won't adopt your insane way of thinking. He won't. He's not like you. He'll make a fine successor. With him in power, this world will never be destroyed like so many others have been."

Felicia managed to stand back up. "And what if I refuse?"

Monty grinned. "Now that's the spirit! I'm glad you asked!"

He coated his arms with magic, and he reached straight through her chest. What the hell?! Monty's hand phased through her body, as if it were just an illusion. Felicia only felt a slight heat. What was this?

Monty grabbed something, her SOUL. An unimaginable pain coursed through Felicia's entire body. It felt like someone was grabbing her heart. She couldn't stop herself from screaming. She remembered that he killed Flora the same way. Oh, Flora…

"You know," Monty said, "some idiots think this is a sex thing. Those people must be some real sadists, huh? Touching hearts is nice metaphorically, but literally? Not so much."

He applied more pressure. Felicia winced as even more pain jolted through her. She felt her HP drain slowly, slowly. It hurt so much, like her insides were on fire. How was it killing her slowly?!

"If you won't submit," Monty said, "this is what I'll do to Jacob, and Flora, and Nate, and Nora, and maybe even your father. He has nothing to do with this, by the way. He's just another victim here."

Father… Everyone…

"All of you will suffer together. How long can you last? Who knows? Maybe one reset, you'll find a way to kill me, but even if that happens, I'll just be replaced. And what will you do about your mother? Can you really kill your own mother? How will you get away with it? How will you defeat the leader of the entire world? How can you possibly win? I think it's safe to say that you've got trouble."

She couldn't take anymore. She gathered what little was left of her determination.

Did that really just happen?

How could Mother… How could Elizabeth do that? She was her mother! How could she betray her? Felicia clutched her chest, still feeling the phantom pain from Monty's torture. She felt like her SOUL would shatter right there.

Flora turned around. "Felicia…?"

Flora...

Felicia couldn't hold back her tears. She ran to Flora and cried in her arms.

"Aww, don't cry," Flora soothed. "It will be all right."

"N-no, it won't," Felicia sobbed. "Nothing is all right."

"Felicia…"

"It's my mother, Flora."

"What?"

"You heard me."

"E-Elizabeth?"

She nodded.

"Are you certain?"

She nodded. "She said it herself."

"Oh my… Oh, Felicia…"

She sniffled. "Honestly, I don't know how I'm supposed to go on."

"I… I cannot imagine how you feel," Flora said.

"I just want this all to be over. I don't know what to do."

Flora considered her words carefully. "We have to protect Jacob."

"Jacob…"

"Yes, he needs your help, our help. Even if you wish to give up, I will not give up on you."

Felicia wiped away her worthless tears. She was right. Felicia didn't know how they were going to win, but she had to try, for Jacob. Elizabeth didn't care about him. He was just a pawn to her. She was even using him as part of her plot to kill Felicia. It was sick. Felicia couldn't just give up. She had to do everything in her power to stop her. That's what it meant to be a World Master.

"All right," Felicia said, "let's get Jacob out of here."

Felicia had reset back to the moment just before she began her investigation of Nora, about two days back, and the same day she killed Kawasaki. Monty said he was part of an upgraded security force in response to the attempt on her life. There was no way he was here yet, but he would be coming. They had to move quickly.

Felicia wasted no time taking Jacob with her. It wasn't difficult to convince him. He was always an obedient child, very unlike Felicia. He didn't even question why Felicia wanted him to come with her.

How could someone like him ever make a good president?

Together, they left the mansion with Flora. Once outside, Felicia desperately tried to figure out what to do. Where could they go? They couldn't call the police. What would they say?

Hey! My evil president mom is trying to kill me! Please help!

No one would believe her. It was hard to convict someone of a crime that technically hadn't been committed, especially when that person was the President of the Human Government.

She still couldn't believe that Elizabeth would do this.

Flora held her shoulder. "I am here for you."

She frowned, but she was grateful. "Thank you, Flora. Thank you so much."

"What's wrong?" Jacob asked.

Should she tell him? Would he believe her? No, he wouldn't. In his position, Felicia wouldn't believe it herself.

Flora opened her mouth to speak. Felicia stopped her. "Not yet," she whispered.

Flora nodded. "Where should we go?"

"I thought we were going to the Millers?" Jacob asked.

Perhaps that was their best option. Maybe she could ask them for help. They would understand what was happening. Their research helped trigger all this, after all. Felicia didn't blame them for it, but she hoped they would help her. They had to. Nate and Nora's lives were on the line as well.

"Yeah, that's right," Felicia said. "We're going to the Millers."

Flora let them into her car and started the engine. Felicia took shotgun while Jacob rode in the back, and Flora drove her away from her former home.

"I'm sorry," Felicia whispered. "I wish I didn't have to drag you into this."

She frowned. "I am not ready to die," she said truthfully. "I want to see my husband again."

Felicia had almost forgotten she was married. She had been married for about one year, if Felicia recalled correctly.

"I'm so sorry," Felicia repeated, "but you're a target now. Everyone close to me is a hostage for Monty to kill."

"Monty?"

"A real charming assassin mage. He's killed you twice."

"O-oh…"

Felicia had to change the subject, to literally anything else. "So, uh, if you don't mind me asking, do you plan on having children of your own?"

"We have been waiting," Flora answered. "I do want them, but I am in no hurry. I already have you and Jacob, after all. Or, I had you and Jacob. I suppose I am technically out of a job now."

Felicia managed a slight smile. "I guess so."

As Flora kept driving, Felicia kept her head on a swivel, half-expecting an ambush from Monty or the Military Police, but it didn't come. They arrived at their destination without incident.

Just like last time, John and Eva greeted them at the entrance, and they expressed their sympathy for her situation. If only they knew the full story. Well, they were about to find out.

"But, Felicia," Eva said, "we've noticed that you've made a rather long reset, over two days. Something tells me we've already had this conversation."

Felicia nodded. "Yes, and I'm sorry. I've found out the hard way who's trying to kill me."

Jacob's head turned. "Wait, what?"

"You have?" John asked. "Who is it? And… why are you here?"

Yeah, why am I here? Why couldn't I have just been a normal girl, with a normal family, the kind that doesn't try to murder me and everyone I love? Why did I have to become the World Master? What good has it done for me, for anyone? Is it just a horrible coincidence, or is there some kind of cruel god orchestrating all this? I guess it's one of life's great mysteries.

Felicia frowned. "You might not believe me, but… it's my mother."

There was silence for a while.

"N-no!" Jacob said. "That can't be right! You're wrong!"

"She said it herself."

"But, she's Mom!"

"Not anymore."

"H-how could you say that?"

"I don't like it any more than you do."

Jacob fell to his knees. In an instant, his whole world had been torn apart. No kid deserved what was happening to him.

"I… I believe you," Eva said.

John grimaced. "Our research…"

"I knew we should have kept it secret."

"Don't blame yourselves," Felicia said. "Elizabeth made her choice. You had nothing to do with that."

"Do you have any evidence against her?" Eva asked.

"No, only my own memories, of things that haven't happened."

"That won't hold up in court."

"I know."

"So, why did you come here?" John asked.

Felicia took a deep breath. "I know this is a lot to ask, but please… help me."

For a while, the scientists were quiet as they processed the weight of Felicia's request.

"I hate to ask this of you," Felicia said, "but your children are in danger as well. Elizabeth isn't alone. She has a dangerous killer on her side, and he's threatened to kill everyone I care about. That includes Nate and Nora. So, even if you won't protect me, please look out for them."

John clenched his fists. "They threatened our children too?"

"Yes, they did."

"They won't get away with that," Eva growled. "Felicia, go on inside. We will do everything we can to help you."

Their words restored Felicia's hope. She bowed. "Thank you! I'll never forget this!"

"Don't worry," John said, "We won't sit around and let these child killers win."

"We need to explain this to Nora and Nate," Eva said.

Felicia frowned. "Yeah…"

They went inside. The scientists gathered Nora and Nate, and they brought them to the dining room. They all sat down at the table.

Nate sat down next to her. "Felicia, are you doing okay?"

"You have no idea."

She explained everything, starting from Monty's first appearance, Jacob's murder, and then Elizabeth's betrayal. She especially made sure they knew everything Monty was capable of, what they were up against.

"It's seriously your Mom?!" Nate exclaimed.

"I'm not surprised," Nora said.

Jacob glared at her. She shrugged. "What? It really isn't much of a shocker."

He slammed his fist on the table. "Shut up!"

Everyone was silent. Jacob never got that forceful.

"Sorry," Nora whispered, realizing how insensitive she was being.

"We just need to figure out what to do," Felicia said.

"We can't hide you here forever," John said. "Your parents are going to wonder where you've gone."

"And if everything you say is true, Monty will come," Eva said.

Monty…

Felicia didn't know how to defeat Elizabeth, but she knew what they had to do first. They had to kill Monty.

"I don't think we have much time," Felicia said. "Do you have any weapons here? You're scientists, right? Any fancy gadgets that might help us?"

"Umm… I don't know about that," John said, "but..."

"We have some handguns," Eva said.

"You know, in case anyone decides to rob us."

"It's important to be prepared."

"Well, that's something," Felicia said, "but I don't know if it's going to be enough. This guy's powerful."

"Flora's a mage too, right?" Nora asked.

Flora nodded. "Yes, however…"

"Monty killed her before," Felicia said. "I hate to admit it, but he's stronger than her."

Nora frowned. "Red SOULs always are. But, if we work together, we can beat him!"

"I hope so." Felicia looked at the scientists. "So, about those guns…"

Eva nodded. "We have two M191X pistols."

"191X? They were made in the 1910s? That's pretty old." Felicia wasn't very confident about a model that was designed one hundred eighty years ago.

"They've been passed down along the family, and I assure you that they're very effective. We also have a .44 revolver that John's father used while serving in the Military Police."

Felicia wasn't exactly a gun nut, but she knew what a .44 was. Its high stopping power could do some significant damage to Monty's barrier.

"I have just one question," Nora said. "Where are the swords?"

"Nora, no!" John yelled. "You are not fighting him!"

"You think you, Mom, and Flora can take him?" Nora asked. "If one mage couldn't do it, a couple scientists with pistols aren't going to make a difference. Like I said, we all need to work together."

"I said you're not–"

"Felicia can just reset if I die! What are you worried about?"

"Well, she's right," Felicia said. "I say she should at least have something for self-defense, just in case."

John sighed. "I guess that's true."

"I know Grandfather had one," Nora said.

"It's with the guns," Eva said, "but do not do anything reckless. It's only to defend yourself."

"Fine," Nora groused.

"Hey," Nate said, "can I have the revolver?"

John held his head. "What is happening here?"

"This is so wrong," Eva agreed.

"Can I have it?" Nate asked again.

"Fine," John groused. "Your Mom and I will take the other pistols."

Eva looked at Flora. "What about you? Do you need a weapon?"

"I have a knife," Flora answered, "and my magic, of course."

"I also have a knife," Felicia said.

Nora scoffed. "Swords are better."

Eva looked at Jacob. "What about him?"

His face was pressed against the table. "I don't care. If Mom wants to kill me, let her kill me."

Damn it. He was completely broken, not that Felicia blamed him. It was all she could do to resist saying the exact same thing, to stop thinking of Elizabeth as 'Mother.'

Flora held his shoulder. "Jacob…"

"Don't touch me!" he snapped.

With a whimper, Flora let go. "My apologizes."

"Leave me alone!"

She frowned. "If you that's what you think is best…"

Jacob, this isn't her fault. Don't take it out on her.

"Uh… all right then," John said. "If this Monty guy shows up, we'll be ready."

"I'll go get everything," Eva said. She got up to leave.

Felicia got up too, desperate for a chance to breathe. She stepped out into the hall. Nate followed her. "Felicia, I am so sorry."

"What for?" she asked. "You didn't do anything."

"Is there anything I can do for you?"

Felicia looked at Nate's handsome face. His yellow eyes were full of compassion for her, and Felicia trusted him, even after what Elizabeth did. But, Nate did want something from her, and she thought she might have wanted it too. They were young, so maybe it was naïve to think that anything between them would last. Still, Felicia would have liked to at least give it a try.

And to do that, she needed to live.

"I don't want you to kill for me," Felicia said, "so… just stay alive, okay?"

"I can't promise that."

"Nate…"

"Killing Monty would be justice."

He's not exactly wrong, but…

"I don't want his filthy EXP on your stats," Felicia said. "Uh, assuming he's even worth EXP… Is he worth EXP?"

"He shouldn't be," Nate said. "I can't see why anyone would care about a person like him. His death shouldn't cause any pain whatsoever."

"Well, I don't want his blood on your hands, then."

"I'll just wash them."

Felicia let out a half-sigh and a half-chuckle. "Oh, Nate…"

He smiled, and he hugged her in a warm embrace. "I just want to help you."

A mixture of feelings swelled within Felicia's SOUL. She felt a sense of longing, but she also felt guilt. Would Nate hold her like this if he remembered what she did to Nora?

"Nate," she whispered, "before I found out it was Elizabeth, I thought it was Nora, and I… I did some horrible things to her. I…"

"Tell me later," Nate said. "It can't be any worse than what Monty and Elizabeth have done. Let's bring them to justice first."

"Heh, all right."

"Whatever happened, I'm sure I never stopped caring about you."

Felicia felt her face flush. "Nate… thank you…"

As they held each other, Eva came with the revolver. "Umm… am I interrupting something?"

Nate quickly let go of her, his face reddened. "O-oh, hey Mom!"

She handed him the revolver. "Well, here you are. This is only for your safety, you hear me? Don't do anything reckless."

"R-right, I won't."

Eva pulled out something else, a handful of syringes filled with a yellow liquid. Felicia knew exactly what it was. "And take these," Eva said. "This is DT extract. If you're hurt, this will heal any wound instantly, but be careful. If you use too much, there may be… side effects."

Nate and Felicia both took some.

"What kind of side effects?" Nate asked.

"You don't want to know," Felicia said.

"Please be careful," Eva said.

Nate nodded. "I will, Mom."

She pat him on the head. "I love you."

"I love you too, Mom."

Felicia frowned, and Eva noticed. "Oh, you poor thing. I can't imagine what you're going through. If anyone hurt my children, well… let's not find out, okay?"

"Yeah."

"We are no soldiers, but if they want a fight, we'll give them one."

"We will."

Eva left to give the others their equipment, and Felicia steeled herself for what was to come. She didn't know if there was a way out. Even if they killed Monty, what then? How would they defeat Elizabeth? Was there any point in struggling?

Even if it was pointless, she had to. If Felicia was going to die, she was going to die fighting.

Asgore checked the time. It was past eleven, and Chara was still asleep? Had she not gone to bed before midnight? He hated to disturb her, but he had to go to the Embassy soon. Asgore went to the guest room and knocked on the door.

"Chara? Are you all right?"

There was no response.

"Chara, I'm going to come in, okay?" Asgore opened the door. He saw Chara asleep on the bed. He gently shook her shoulder. "Chara, please wake up."

Chara didn't wake up.