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Kris opened their eyes, a difficult task due to their increasing eye bags. Their joints felt rusty until they stretched for some time while still on their bed. They moved the bedsheet away and saw their pillow, covered in tears and snot from yesterday night. The Festival was something they didn’t want to remember, not in a million years. Looking to the other side of the room, the SOUL kept trapped in the birdcage, its glow much dimmer than normal, which meant it was not awake, and it probably wouldn’t be in a while. Kris didn’t know how they could tell, but they just could, it was an instinct.
As they got up, prepared to take the SOUL back, a buzzing noise came from their phone. They approached their bedside table, grabbed the phone and looked at the notification. It was a message from the Man. They opened it.
[💣︎✌︎☠︎🕈︎☟︎⚐︎💧︎🏱︎☜︎✌︎😐︎💧︎✋︎☠︎☟︎✌︎☠︎👎︎💧︎] 8:05
GREETINGS.
LADIES.
GENTLEMEN.
KRIS.
SINCE WE HAVE BEEN
SO SUCCESSFUL THUS FAR
I HAVE DECIDED
FOR US TO TAKE
A DAY OFF.
YOU ARE ALL
INVITED
TO THE SHELTER
FOR A NIGHT OUT.
BRING SNACKS.
Kris looked back at the SOUL, still dim glow, and thought about the invitation before replying back.
[#1MossLover] 8:06
K dude ill bring pie if you guys want
[NightmareKnight1225] 8:06
Oh hell yeah dude i miss toriel’s pies
Also would appreciate if you brought cookies 2
[ 👍 1 ]
[💣︎✌︎☠︎🕈︎☟︎⚐︎💧︎🏱︎☜︎✌︎😐︎💧︎✋︎☠︎☟︎✌︎☠︎👎︎💧︎] 8:07
AGREED.
[CarolHoliday] 8:08
I can also bring some fruit cake that Noelle and I didn’t finish last night.
[💣︎✌︎☠︎🕈︎☟︎⚐︎💧︎🏱︎☜︎✌︎😐︎💧︎✋︎☠︎☟︎✌︎☠︎👎︎💧︎] 8:08
PERFECT.
THANK YOU ALL.
SEE YOU LATER.
Kris put the phone in their pocket, took the SOUL out of the cage and closed their eyes while putting it back on, hoping their instinct was right. Once the SOUL was inside their chest, they opened and closed their fist, flapping their arms and legs to make sure. Nice, they thought, after making sure the SOUL was, indeed, asleep, and that, for the time being, they could retain their bodily autonomy.
They quickly went downstairs and ate the pancakes that Toriel had made for them. Mom should be in a meeting with the Hometown Parents’ Association, which means I get to do whatever I want before going to the shelter…
First thing they did was check the fridge to make sure there were pies and cookies leftover from the ones she sold at the Festival, which, as every year, there was. They never understood how the town could miss on such delicious butterscotch pie and chocolate chip cookies, but they supposed it just meant more for them. Then, they went back to their room and searched around Asriel’s drawer. They scrounged through the multiple love letters and all the other miscellaneous objects, until they got some twenty dollars in from the bottom of the drawer. “Your debt has been paid,” they said, thinking of the time they bet on him and Dess being voted Festival King and Queen, something that Asriel denied would happen… until it did, and he didn’t even pay them.
They thought of playing videogames before heading there, but unfortunately they had already given Tenna away to the sad ghost at that house. With that, they grabbed a plastic bag from one of the cupboards and put all of the leftover pies and cookies in before going outside and locking the door. They directly headed towards the shelter, but at the library they got stopped by two familiar faces. Noelle and Berdly had just gotten out of the building, carrying books in their arms and backpacks as they talked about something that Kris didn’t care about. Why do they even need so many books, they’re just doing a high school project, they thought. Noelle waved at the human as Berdly noticed them as well.
“Hey, Kris! Where are you going?” Noelle asked, looking down at the bag they were holding. “And what do you have there?”
Kris thought of an answer for a second before spilling it out. “Dynamite.”
“H-Huh?”
“Ah, Kristopher! Joking with such serious business? Millions have died because of that, Kris! It is not funny!” Berdly spouted, holding his finger to the sky.
“It ain’t a joke, dude. I’m gonna blow up Town Hall right now.”
“K-Kris! You shouldn’t blow up Town Hall, my mom’s there right now!”
Kris put their fingers in a thinking motion below their chin. “Hm… you know what? You’re right. I’m gonna blow up the hospital instead.”
“Kris!!”
This would be the part where Noelle, Berdly and Kris all chuckled and they all continued with their day. But Kris didn’t laugh. Seeing the deer’s face just reminded them of the Festival, of how they were left behind by two people they were interested in and never even paid attention to; forgotten when it was time to be all romantic. They frowned and almost puked before continuing their path towards the shelter, not even saying goodbye to the doe or the bird. They speedwalked to the shelter, fists shut, and introduced the code, fumbling once from the tension they had in their body. After inputting it correctly the second time, the doors opened and Kris fell into the Dark World, the bag along with them, transforming the leftovers into baked goods even Top Chef would be jealous of.
Getting up from the ground, they opened the red door; it always confused them how there were the same red doors from the outside of the shelter on the inside as well, but they never gave it much thought. When they opened the door they were greeted by a multitude of dark figures. The living room was the biggest room of the shelter, only possibly being toppled by the cellar —which included both wine and jail cells—. It had a big green sofa, a round table for everyone to fit in, some framed pictures of all of them doing ‘group-bonding activities’ as the Man put it, a plasma flatscreen TV, a food bowl and some drawers to store board games and card games on. Kris put their ascot in the hat rack where a pirate hat, a chef’s hat and a purple cape hanged. They went on to the round table and left the bag with pastries on the round table where the Man they were familiar with, the Knight and a grey bird-looking creature with a giant eye and mouth played Poker.
“KRIS!
IT IS GOOD
TO SEE YOU.”
Gaster pat the teen’s head with enthusiasm and a grin only grandmas get when they’re pinching their grandchildren’s cheek. He then used one of his hands to get out a cookie from the bag and threw it in the food bowl. A wide, toothy grin manifested from the shadows along with wide pink and yellow eyes, it then laughed —a disturbing sound that showed the creature’s long fangs— before it rushed into the food bowl, devouring it wildly with no thought and no pause, until it had finished the whole thing. An enormously long and pointy tongue then came out of the thing’s mouth and licked all of the surrounding areas of its face before jumping on the teen’s lap and starting to purr.
“AH.
YOU BROUGHT THEM
WITH EXTRA PROTEIN?
HOW THOUGHTFUL, KRIS.
FRIEND REALLY LOVES YOU,
YOU KNOW THAT?”
Friend then started licking Kris’ hand, which still had the scar from the bite they had inflicted upon them in Flower Kingdom.
“IT ALSO FEELS BAD
FOR HAVING TO BITE YOU.
IT DIDN’T WANT TO,
BUT WE ALL HAVE TO
STICK TO THE SCRIPT,
YOU KNOW?”
Kris pat Friend’s ears, its purring becoming louder. They sat down on a chair and continued to watch the game, Friend still on their lap, being periodically fed high-protein low-calorie cookies by Kris. They looked at the Knight, concentrating on her cards, not having spoken a single word, until they all revealed their cards.
“I saw this play in the books. The books upstairs.” The bird said, showing a royal flush.
“UGH!” Dess groaned, only having a two-pair to show. “WHY DO YOU ALWAYS GET THE BEST CARDS?”
“I read it in–”
Dess slammed the table, materialized her sword and lowered it to the bird’s ‘head.’ “IF YOU SAY THE BOOKS UPSTAIRS AGAIN, I SWEAR TO THE ANGEL.” Seeing Gaster’s reaction, she dematerialized her sword and sat back on the table. The grey bird moved the chips to his side of the table before picking up the cards again.
“Another game?”
“No! I bet you’re cheating! Did Kris teach you to cheat?!”
The bird looked at his front. “It’s rude to talk about someone who’s listening.”
Dess looked at her side, still frustrated, seeing the idle, blue face of the human obstructed by a giant bag. “Kris! Hey dude, how you doing?” She gave dap to Kris before looking inside the bag and grabbing a pie. “Thanks dude, I miss eating stuff other than eggs.” Friend jumped at the word ‘egg,’ meowing and growling like a starving animal.
“DECEMBER.
I TOLD YOU
NOT TO MENTION…
☜︎☝︎☝︎💧︎
AGAIN.”
“Gee, okay okay, sorry. I miss eating stuff other than… left up up teardrop.”
Friend made a sound similar to a sigh and again laid on Kris’ lap. They pointed at the cards and furrowed their brow, to which the bird grabbed them again and started shuffling. “See, love? Kris wants to play one.” He said as he let Kris cut off the deck, shuffled more and dealt the cards to all four. “Another game?”
“Ugh. Fine.” She sighed. They looked at their cards, finding the three of diamonds and of clubs; already a pair, not bad. They showed Friend their cards, to which it poked a small amount of his tongue out and winked at the human. As the rounds went on, everyone doubled down, and as they gained more cards, Kris found the three spades, along with the ace of diamonds and a two of hearts. A three of a kind and a high card; not a bad hand, they could even win this without cheating. The bird went all in, to which Gaster and Dess folded, the latter with an annoyed groan. Kris hummed. I think I prefer to cheat, actually. They petted Friend, to which it purred, understanding the message. Pink and yellow eyes silently appeared behind the bird as they continued petting Friend; the eyes then winked. Bingo, they thought, going all in along with the bird. They then revealed their cards, the bird showing a two-pair of twos and fours.
“Wait… don’t! Wait! Don’t!”
Kris chuckled as Friend chortled, Gaster showing a small grin. “Yeah, okay, buddy. Give it up,” they said pointing to all of the chips on the table. The bird sighed before grabbing the cards again. “Another ga–”
“No!” Kris and Dess shouted simultaneously. Dess then grabbed the bag and pulled out another pie, eating it slowly. Dess laid her shoulders on the table as she ate, before directing to Kris. “When’s Mom coming?” Kris shrugged before Dess slapped her own head (helmet?) before grabbing her smartphone and starting to message. “Forgot to tell her to bring orange juice, shit.”
“Don’t worry, she’s still in Town Hall, she needs to go to your house anyway.” Dess hummed in glee as she texted her mother. Meanwhile Kris walked to the sofa to see a mantle with an orange frown holding a controller, focused on the television screen. It kept groaning until Kris sat next to it. “Stuck at Riku, huh?”
“Kris… I do like this game you recommended but… don’t you think the difficulty curve is too– steep?”
“Didn’t seem like that to me. Did you do all the cups in the Coliseum?”
“Every single one, Kris.” It kept smashing buttons.
“Perhaps you don’t have the best keyhole equipped?”
“I don’t think so, Kris… How is beating you easier than beating a fictional teenager with a protagonist complex?”
Kris chuckled at the unintended similarities. Friend clawed from the back of the sofa in order to watch the Shadow Mantle play, laughing hysterically every time it perished. The Mantle was not affected by this whatsoever, it seemed to be used to it. “I just hope I don’t have to go to Atlantica again.”
“Heh, just you wait until you play the next game…” The Shadow Mantle looked at Kris and then laughed sarcastically, fully focusing on the game a second after.
From the back of the room a loud gasp was uttered. Kris, the Shadow Mantle and Friend all looked back to see Gaster facepalming, a strangely seen frown on his face.
“BY THE ANGEL.
I FORGOT TO FEED
THE PRISONERS.”
Gaster then looked at Kris and pointed at them.
“KRIS,
BE A DEAR AND
FEED THEM FOR ME,
WON’T YOU?
IT IS YOUR FATHER,
AFTER ALL.”
Kris moaned annoyed, petting Friend while getting up from the sofa. “You know Dad and me aren’t on the best of terms now, G.” They crossed their arms and smacked their tongue.
“I AM AWARE.
HOWEVER,
YOU ARE THE
ONLY ONE
I TRUST WITH THIS,
SINCE CAROL
ISN’T HERE.”
“Ugh, okay, but you owe me one.” They went to the bag and grabbed a couple of pies, putting them in two plates. They went to the door but couldn’t open it with both of their hands occupied. They whistled to which Friend appeared from the dark and grabbed the plate from their right hand. They entered the cellar, Friend beside them with the plate in-between its ears. As they continued on through the wine boxes, they heard an argument from the cells… Well, it was more one-sided than anything.
“I’M NOT GOING TO CALM DOWN! A WEIRD, FREAKY BIRD DEER SHADOW THINGY KIDNAPPED BOTH OF US AND NOW I’VE BEEN STUCK IN HERE FOR LIKE THREE DAYS! AND I ONLY KEEP COUNT BECAUSE OF HOW MANY MEALS I’VE HAD!” They heard a raspy, loud voice yelling. “YOU’VE GOT FLOWERS TO TAKE CARE OF, AND I HAVE A TOWN TO PROTECT!”
“Please, Officer, I beg of you, do not shout. I know the circumstances are dire but, we must keep hoping someone will come for us. I know someone will do.” Another voice, more tender, calm and resigned, spoke.
Kris sighed at the situation and looked at Friend; it looked back, a weirdly comforting look in their face before it rubbed against Kris’ leg, purring while doing so. Kris smiled earnestly and petted the creature, telling it it was a good boy and other things you would say to pets. After such a revolting display of affection, they both made their presence known to the prisoners.
“Huh? Oh my Angel, it’s you, you twerp!” Said a blue fish with a knightly armor similar to their own.
“Kris! Thank the Heavens! Oh dear, it is dangerous here, but I am so glad you came for us. You need to hide quickly in case someone comes!” The bearded goat monster said to the human, kneeling at them. He then noticed the shadow cat behind his child, grinning eerily, pink and yellow eyes staring deep into his soul. “Kris! Careful! Behind you!”
They both left the plates of pie on the ground and slid them inside the jail cell. Asgore grabbed it and took a sniff. “Is this your mother’s? Ah– I mean– What are you doing, Kris? Can you not see the creature beside you?! Why are you not helping us?”
Kris stood silent before turning back towards the door alongside Friend. Before they could leave the small room, their father cried out. “Kris! Wait! Aren’t you going to help–”
“Why don’t you call your beloved flowers to help you?!” They yelled. “Instead of going out to eat with your kids or playing videogames with them, why don’t you instead go take care of your flowers, huh?!”
Asgore kneeled, dumbfounded. He attempted to mutter something but it was incoherent. Kris flipped back to look at their father and rushed at the bars of the cell, Friend still at the door, looking back with a slight frown. “Why would you ever take care of me, right?! I’m just a stupid human! I don’t need to be watered or to be talked to, right?!” They grabbed the bars, yelling louder and louder. “It’s always about you three! About how Toriel is feeling! How Asgore is feeling! How Asriel is feeling! Why would you ever care about what I’m feeling? I’m just the human freak, right? The adopted one that no one understands?”
“Kris, I have never–”
“SHUT UP, DAD!” They screamed. Their voice started to give out, they weren’t used to talking this much, even less at this volume. But they weren’t finished yet. “Riddle me this, Dad. If a man took care of seven flowers. Seven. Fucking. Flowers. So well that the moment they gained consciousness they made it their entire purpose to create a world perfect for him; meanwhile, he hasn’t bothered to even go to the family’s favorite diner with his youngest kid even once in one whole fucking year, what does that make that man?”
Asgore looked down, staring at the pie for a second before adverting his sight to someplace else. “...An absent father...”
“Ding ding ding!”
“Kris–”
“Let’s go on with that train of thought, okay? What if this man has gone through a nasty divorce, and the man, instead of, I don’t know, trying to get his two teenage children through it as best as he can, decides to instead shut himself off from the entire world in order to craft some conspiracy to prove himself right about one mistake he never even committed? Wouldn’t that be hilarious?!”
“My child–”
“Oh, do NOT ‘my child’ me. It seems pretty clear I’m no one’s child, no one seems to care about what I think or feel, after all! But that’s okay. I don’t need any of you for anything anymore, I’m doing things my own way now.” They coughed, exhausted from so much speaking and shouting. They went back to the door they were at moments ago, Friend frowning and with its ears down. “Fuck you, Dad.” They closed the door leading to the cells. Friend stared longingly at the human, as it stared back. “What? I’m okay.” They said, tired voice, holding back tears. When Friend once again rubbed Kris’ leg, this time Kris kneeled down to Friend and hugged it, letting out tears. No sobbing or wailing, but they were crying, and that cat beast was comforting them by giving them pats on the back as they let out more tears. Friend purred as Kris let it all out, until finally they stood up, cleaned their face and petted Friend once again. “Thank you, little guy, you’re the best.” They smiled. “No telling this to anyone.” They suddenly put on a firm look toward the cat and pointed at them. It nodded before giggling, which in turn made Kris giggle. “Okay, let’s go back. I’m not doing G’s dirty work ever again… Oh wait, that’s basically what my whole part of the plan is.” They both laughed.
Kris and Friend reached the living room once again, where they heard laughs and music. Dess rushed towards Kris and gave them a cup of orange juice, herself sipping from a glass of wine. “Kris! Duuude, Mom brought so much stuff! Leftover fruit cake my ass, am I right? Anyhow, come here, get something to eat! Johnny said he wants to dance with ya’.”
The Shadow Mantle yelled from across the room, red cup in hand (cape?). “For the last time, my name is not John!” Kris went towards the table where Carol, Gaster and the bird stood around, as Friend dissipated into darkness before appearing once more next to the Mantle, who responded to each one of its meows as if it could understand it.
“You’re finally here, Kris. Here, have some canapés,” Carol said. Her blue witch outfit and face paint matched perfectly with Kris’ blue skin tone in the Dark World. Sometimes they wondered why they turned blue in the Dark World, but they usually brushed it off as Dark World shenanigans. Kris took a canapé and ate it.
“Hm. Why does it taste like onion?”
“Onion? That bird told me it was octopus.”
The bird, now with the chef’s hat on, placed some takoyaki on the plates on top of the table. A paper with ‘Only 2G’ written on it sat right next to it. Kris gritted their teeth and bumped Carol’s shoulder. “I wouldn’t trust him much. He creeps me out.” Carol nodded.
The party went on, Carol began talking with the Mantle to help Noelle beat the level of Dragon Blazers she was stuck at; the bird sat at the table, looking proudly at the takoyaki, canapés, meatballs, hand pies, etc. that he had made; Dess talked with Gaster about being shattered across time and space; and Kris sat on the sofa, Friend on their lap, drinking orange juice and eating fruit cake, trying their best not to get an epileptic attack from the switching bright lights of the room, and trying their best not to have their ears bleed as Gaster’s ‘alternative music’ played at full volume throughout the whole Dark World. They never really liked parties, but they enjoyed everyone’s company, especially after the torture that was yesterday, having to see Susie and Noelle be all romantic with each other, and having to hear Susie talk about her ALL of the damn Dark World… A sudden thought came into their head. Oh fuck, how do I tell them that Susie got a shelter code. They abruptly started getting sweaty, gritting their teeth once more, losing their grip on the red cup. Friend noticed this, licking their face to try to calm them down, but Kris got even more stressed at this, standing up instantly and almost making Friend fall to the ground.
“Hey Kris, you alright?” Said Dess.
“Yeah. I’m fine. Sorry.”
“KRIS.
IT IS COMPULSORY
THAT YOU
TELL US ANYTHING
THAT MAY BE
TROUBLING YOU.”
Kris sweated even more, trying to switch the conversation to anything that wasn’t the shelter code. “I promise it’s nothing.”
“Kris.” Carol said. “Spit it out.”
“Ugh, fine…” Kris tried to think of something. “It’s just about Susie… and Noelle.”
The whole room was now looking at them, which was exactly what they didn’t want. But they supposed now they should actually continue, at least it was a nice opportunity to vent.
“I know you said I had to be their wingman yesterday, Carol, but, I don’t know, I was feeling terrible every moment. When they went on that ferris wheel, Noelle started saying she had been my friend out of force… and that nothing we had was special… And Susie, ugh Susie. She was being all romantic to her, when we had just had dinner the other day on QC’s, and I thought that was, you know, a special moment between us. And I don’t know, when I saw them at the lake, it just– it just hurt.” Kris said, trying to not tear up. Friend quickly laid on Kris’ shoulders and licked their face, using its tail to rub and pat their back.
“I SEE.
SO IT IS THAT,
A ROMANTIC ISSUE?”
“No! No, it’s not ‘romantic,’ I don’t love love them! But, you know, I just thought–”
“It’s okay, Kris, I could already tell you were head over heels for Noelle. I’ve known you since you were a child, you know? Those things can be seen.” The adult doe said, only for the teenage one to add onto it.
“Yeah dude, it’s clear you had a big crush on Elly. You treasured that heart-shaped pillow you used to play a prank on her as if it was a My Chemical Romance vinyl.”
“And it was so obvious you loved the purple dragon; such grace you treated her with, such shared interests. She matched you perfectly.” The Mantle added. Friend meowed to which the Mantle nodded. “Oh yes, it seems you also have such appreciation for your white-furred friend?” Kris blushed, hiding their face. Friend meowed once more. “Oh? And for a cat girl too–”
“OKAY, STOP THAT.” Kris said bluntly. “Fine! I have a crush on all of them! Yeah! I know, it’s creepy and weird, I get it!”
“NOT AT ALL,
CHILD.
FEELINGS ARE NOT
CAPABLE OF BEING
DISSECTED,
OR ANALYZED,
NOT EVEN PREDICTED.
AND LOVE
IS THE WORST ONE.
IT GRABS ONTO YOU
AND DOESN’T LET YOU
OR THEM GO,
FILLING YOUR HEAD
WITH INTRUSIVE THOUGHTS.
IT IS NOT UNREASONABLE
THAT MULTIPLE PEOPLE
MAKE YOU FEEL THE SAME,
OR PERHAPS SIMILARLY.”
Kris got baffled. “Uhm, yeah that’s… actually pretty accurate.”
“LET ME GIVE YOU
SOME ADVICE.
YOU MUST BE HONEST
WITH YOUR FEELINGS
NOT ONLY TO YOURSELF
BUT TO THEM.
YOU ARE ALL QUITE…
MATURE.
EVEN IF THEY DON’T
SHARE YOUR FEELINGS
YOU CAN STILL BE
ON GOOD TERMS WITH THEM.
AND IF THEY DO,
THEN BETTER FOR YOU.”
“No, I can’t do that! What? Am I just going to be in a relationship with like four people or more at once? What if not all of them accept? Or what if none of them do? It’s too risky.”
“LIFE IS ABOUT
THE RISKS.
IT’S A CONSTANT GAMBLE.
YOU CAN WIN
OR YOU CAN BECOME
SHATTERED ACROSS TIME AND SPACE.
EITHER WAY,
IT’S WORTH IT.
IF ONLY ONE ACCEPTS,
YOU MUST ACCEPT THEM AS WELL,
AND FORGET THE REST.
IF MULTIPLE ACCEPT,
THE SAME.
AND IF ALL ACCEPT?
WELL, BETTER FOR YOU,
IS IT NOT?
AT LEAST THEN,
YOU WON’T HAVE TO PAY
SO MUCH OF YOUR RENT
IN THE FUTURE.”
Everyone laughed as Kris chuckled slightly, blushing more than they were. Dess slapped Gaster’s back as she laughed.
“OKAY, SERIOUSLY NOW.
LOVE IS STRANGE,
IT IS UNPREDICTABLE.
YOU NEVER KNOW
WHAT YOU ARE
GOING TO GET.
IF ALL OF YOUR LOVE
IS SHARED
THEN IT MAY
CAUSE YOU BLISS
OR HEADACHES.
WHO KNOWS?
NOBODY WILL
UNTIL YOU TRY.”
Everyone’s jaw dropped, Kris giving a slight grin to the reassuring words. “Huh? Since when were you a wingman, G? Aren’t you supposed to be all mysterious and cryptic?” Dess said.
“HEY,
MY TWO BEST FRIENDS
WERE RAGING BISEXUALS.
I HAVE HAD TO DO
THIS SONG AND DANCE
TIME AND TIME AGAIN.”
“You had friends before this?” Carol asked, to which everyone nodded in the same wonder.
“YES.
I DO NOT WISH
TO SPEAK ABOUT IT.”
Carol shrugged and Dess grabbed Gaster by the back, pouring wine into his mouth before he could react, to which he quickly flinched and coughed, before starting to laugh. The party started back and everyone continued to talk with each other. Kris, still holding a cup of orange juice, had to admit that conversation made them feel better, but they were still nervous because they still hadn’t revealed that Susie had a shelter code, and they didn’t quite know how. It didn't help that the mood from the party was stressing them out, it made their social battery drain quite quickly, and they wanted to relax for a while before getting back. They went to the door next to the kitchen; a dark, dark hallway that Kris walked on, as they of course knew the way through every room of this place. A dull static could be heard louder and louder as they approached the room at the end. Once they did, and the static was unbearably loud —except to Kris, who was used to it—, they flipped the light switch. A grey humanoid was revealed, wearing a white and grey buttoned shirt; dark brown pants; long brown hair with one strand on the side of the face; and no facial features at all. It hung, almost looking crucified, as red strings wrapped around its wrists. “Lo, see who visits me so humbly once more: the Cage, with Human SOUL and parts! To what do I owe such a pleasurable visit?” Said the figure with a dull, bland voice.
“Are you always so sarcastic or is that something Shadow Mantle taught you?” Kris sipped from their orange juice before showing it to the Vessel. “You want some?”
“I am aware your hair covers your eyeballs, my dear Cage, but even you can see that I have no eyes, no nose, and most importantly, no mouth.”
“I don’t know, dude. You can talk without having a mouth, maybe you can drink as well.”
“Fair assertation.” It said before turning its head.
“Anyways… They’re having a party in the living, and my social battery got drained, so I decided to come here for a bit, to keep you some company.”
“How sympathetic, how empathetic, how pathetic. Deciding to torture the miserable vessel merely because of your own discomfort in a social gathering.”
“You’re so dramatic.”
“Silence, Cage. You have robbed me of any resemblance of meaning I had. The Doctor and all of his companions deserve an ounce of what I have suffered after my discardment.”
Kris sipped once more from their orange juice and stood still, an awkward feeling rising up. The Vessel’s constant arguing never really bothered Kris, they were used to annoying people, but after what happened with Asgore they were getting slightly irritated at it thinking their life was so wonderful. “You think my life is great, huh?”
“Not quite. Your existence is troubled, yes, but it is only for the fact that you are playing a role you were not supposed to play.” Kris stared at it. “But you cannot go back.”
“And how is that my fault? I didn’t choose this, I didn’t choose to be controlled by something.”
“Irrelevant. The world does not care if you do not accept your new role, it will push you into it regardless.”
“Yeah I’ve seen that.” Kris paused. “So if you admit that my life is hard, why would you want it, why would you ever want to be ‘the Cage’?”
The Vessel once again tilted its head towards the human, its voice raspier than before. “Would you not want to fulfill your purpose? The reason you were created?”
“I would rather live my life,” Kris said without hesitation.
“So would I,” the Vessel muttered. They both remained silent for minutes. The Vessel constantly twitched its head and Kris nervously sipped from their cup. Kris mumbled under their breath, putting their free hand on their head. “What is it you are nervous about? It is infuriating hearing you murmur.”
“I messed up, dude. Yesterday Susie got one of the shelter codes. The police badge one.”
The Vessel did its best to chuckle, letting out a dull and breathless snicker. “The Girl obtained a piece of the combination? The Doctor was right: ‘successful thus far,’ I see.”
“Gee, thank you very much, asshole.” Kris snapped.
“And what do you plan to do now, Cage?” The Vessel returned to its flat voice.
“Man, to be honest, I don’t know. Everyone is having fun out there and I don’t want to ruin it because of my own mistake.”
“Such a predicament, only ever heard of in the most ancient of tragedies. If you are asking for my advice, I have learned from the Doctor that hiding and lying are more efficient than facing a possibly quite hard situation.”
“So you’re telling me I should just not tell them and pretend it didn’t happen?”
“Precisely. At least that is the advice I have gotten from my wondrous life experience.”
“Yeah, yeah, I get it, you’re a sarcastic prick, I understand.” Kris waved the hand they were holding their cup with. “But maybe you’re right. I’m conflicted with who I’m even supposed to be with anyway, so might as well just hide this.”
“The Doctor does not appreciate traitors. I doubt your ‘friends’ do so, as well.”
“And I don’t appreciate snitches. Besides, what friends? The ones here or the ones out there? Cause I can’t seem to decide between ‘em.”
The Vessel smiled, unbeknownst to Kris how they could even tell it was a smile despite its lack of facial features. “Undeciveness will be your downfall, my beloved Cage.” It tilted its head, keeping its nonexistent smile intact. “But what do I know? I’m just a lonely vessel, trapped in darkness.”
“Okay dude, nice convo.” Kris spit out before flipping off the light switch. “See ya later.”
“So long, my Cage. I will await impatiently for your next visit. The Angel knows it will not be long until then.” Another dry laugh was heard in the distance as Kris walked through the hallway, finally reaching the door to the living room, loud music still blaring. They sighed before opening the door and getting back to the party. The instant they closed the door, Friend jumped at them, licking their face and armor. Kris petted its ears until it got off of them and proceeded to go for more orange juice.
The party continued until late, the clock kept ticking. Seven, eight, nine, ten. They played some videogames, played some more poker, danced, even played some board games. Kris, however, remained nervous; they didn’t know if not revealing the code thing was a good idea, but it may end up hurting Susie and they didn’t want Susie to get hurt. Every day, that damn question ate at them. Should they continue the plan? Keep being with Gaster, Dess, Carol, Friend, and everyone else? Or should they choose their newly found friendships? Ralsei was wise, nerdy and insanely cute; Susie was mean, scary and insanely hot; Noelle they had known since their childhood but these past few days had managed to get them to reconnect; and everyone in the Dark Worlds were so charming and likeable… even the ones that wanted to kill them. Not that they disliked the company of their shelter friends, especially that of Friend itself, who felt like it always had an eye on them in a good way. That’s why it was a hard choice. But they couldn’t think of that right now, they should just enjoy themselves.
At half past ten, Carol stood from the couch and cleaned her clothes from any dust. “Well, I think it’s time for me to go. ‘Work’ should have ended by now anyway, and I need to make dinner for Noelle.” She gave a kiss to Dess in the cheek, grabbed her blue cardigan and went away. A game or two after, Kris stood up as well. “Mom may be worried about me, I should probably be heading home by now, see ya’ guys.” They looked at the Shadow Mantle as they were approaching the red door. “And do NOT reset my score.”
“Of course not, Krissy!” It laughed, almost sounding like a gargle.
They went through the red door and exited the Dark World, being thrown out of the shelter doors. They got up and spit out the grass that had gotten in their mouth. Carol should make moss grow there instead of grass, that’d make me vote for her. Kris walked back home, the streets empty and dark, feeling kind of relaxing after the non-stop noise. For a second they wondered why the SOUL never took control today, but they decided they shouldn’t ask and just be glad that it didn’t, it would’ve been nasty if it caught them in the shelter partying with the lost girl in armor, the demonic cat, the cryptic mantle, the town’s mayor and the enigmatic man who speaks in hands.
They opened their house’s door to find it completely dark, the outside light showing the silhouettes of their mother and that annoying skeleton sleeping beside each other on the grand sofa, blanket and all. Bastard, they thought. They got to their room, painfully removed their SOUL as they were already accustomed to, and went to bed immediately. Their battery had been drained enough today, they just wanted to rest.