"But first, there's something I have to do."
Asriel put his hand over his chest as his eyes glinted with hope. He shut them as he began to speak again.
"Right now, I can feel everyone's hearts beating as one. They are all burning with the same desire. With everyone's power, with everyone's determination."
Frisk watched as the young goat opened his eyes, the red orbs burning with the same fierceness and determination as Frisk's had during their battle.
"It's time for monsters to finally go free."
Slowly, Asriel shut his eyes again. He held his arms out to sides and quietly rose into the air. He began to sing a tune Frisk had heard back when she had placed an umbrella over the lonely statue, but it wasn't the same quiet and melodic song. Asriel was singing out with all his heart as the SOULs circled around him. The human SOULs stayed the closest to him, swirling in a colorful rainbow amongst the gray. He smiled at Frisk before turning to the barrier. He glared at the door to his prison cell with pure determination flickering in his eyes, holding up his hand.
"I always wanted to feel the sun."
Frisk couldn't see what happened next. It was too bright and she had to shield her eyes from the light. When she could see again, the first thing she saw was Asriel lighting back down to the ground. His feet touched the ground and he smiled at Frisk.
"Frisk...I have to go now."
Asriel noticed Frisk upset look, but continued anyway, trying not to cry.
"Without the power of everyone's SOULs, I can't keep maintaining this form."
He couldn't stop them. The tears started to pour down his furry cheeks.
"In a little while, I'll turn back into a flower. I'll stop being myself. I'll stop being able to feel love again…"
Asriel wiped his eyes and turned away from Frisk, hugging himself.
"It's probably best if you just forget about me. Just go be with the people who love you."
Asriel turned away from Frisk completely, trying his hardest to not cry his eyes out. That's when Frisk marched over and turned him around, hugging him tightly. Asriel was surprised at first, but soon, he was clutching the back of Frisk's shirt and bawling into her shoulder. She patted his back and let him cry on her, not caring about the stain it would leave. Asriel chuckled for a moment, rubbing Frisk's back and nuzzling her for comfort.
"I don't want to let go…"
But he did anyway. Asriel forcefully removed his arms from around Frisk and she did the same, smiling at him again. He smiled back, taking a moment to sniffle and wipe his eyes.
"You're gonna do a great job, Frisk, no matter what you do. Everyone will be there for you, okay?"
Frisk nodded and Asriel chuckled again, turning to nothing. He took a deep breath and sighed, starting to walk away.
"Well, my time is running out."
He gave Frisk one last smile.
"Goodbye."
Frisk stopped him and shook her head, signing "It's see you later." Asriel smiled and laughed, continuing to walk towards nothing. That's when he stopped and turned around.
"Oh, and Frisk. Take care of Mom and Dad for me, okay?"
Frisk nodded and Asriel smiled, turning back and stuffing his hands into his pockets. With each step he took, one SOUL flutter out from behind him and back to whoever it came from. Another step and two SOULs flew out. The number of SOULs continued to increase until there was a swirling rainbow behind him. The white light came back and Frisk suddenly felt light-headed.
Frisk! This is all just a bad dream! Please, wake up!
Frisk sat up with a jolt, wiping around to see all her friends and the woman she called Mom. Toriel kneeled next to her.
"My child, are you-"
Frisk jumped up and frantically pointed to the barrier. When everyone was confused, she groaned and ran back to them, pushing Asgore from behind, trying to get him to move. The large goatman took the hint and motioned for everyone to follow. Frisk gave them all a thumbs up before taking off toward exit. She ran and ran, jumping entire stairwells to get to where she needed to be. She shoved a sack of gold into Riverperson's hands and told them to floor it to Snowdin. The boat rose out of the water and began running. When it reached the Snowdin port, Frisk jumped out of the water and rushed through the slippery streets of the town. She gave MK the quickest of hugs, practically knocking him over as her determination refused to properly stop her. MK quickly regained his balance and turned to follow behind Frisk, but she was too far gone. She had been in and out of the Snowdin shop like a bolt of blue and pink lightning and was now carrying something.
Frisk saw the giant door and she stormed through the forest at full speed. She suddenly felt her determination grow even stronger and she felt someone running beside her. She looked to her left and saw the ghost she had come to love despite all he said.
Chara was rushing along beside her, his feet not leaving footprints.
"Let's get him."
Frisk nodded and clashed into the door with all her might.
Asriel sighed as he felt himself slowly start to transform back into that little golden flower. He looked up through the hole in the mountain, feeling next to no sunlight despite the rays shining through.
"I guess this is i- WHOA-HO-HO!"
Asriel was tackled rather forcefully to the ground, the wind being knocked out of him. He suddenly felt the sensation of being squeezed and looked up to see Frisk practically squashing the life outta him. Frisk tilted her head at the face Asriel was making.
"Can't….breathe!"
Frisk gasped and quickly released him, the young boy drinking in as much air as he could. Chara tittered and wished he could lightly smack Frisk in the back to the head. Frisk signed apology after apology, but Asriel assured her it was fine. After finally getting a hold of himself, Asriel stood up and gave Frisk a confused look.
"What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be at the barrier?"
Frisk pointed at Asriel with determination in her eyes.
"Me? What do you want with me?"
Chara placed his hand on Frisk's shoulder and she turned to look at him. Frisk nodded and Chara beamed, his smile not being full of malice for once as his time as a spirit. Frisk and Chara locked fingers and Chara was pulled into Frisks body alongside her. Her eyes turned red and Chara pushed Frisk's bangs out of the way.
"Azzy," Chara paused for a moment to clear Frisk's scratchy throat, "Asriel, when you turn back into a flower, you're coming with us in this flower pot."
Chara held up the pot they had set aside when they tackled Asriel. Asriel stared at it for a moment, his arms and legs deteriorating as gold started to appear around his head. He started chuckling, but that chuckled soon became full blown laughter.
"Please! Who do you think I am? Some token tulip you can set out as the table piece?"
"Asriel, I-"
"I'm not Asriel anymore! I'm Flowey!"
Asriel's form was surrounded by small tornado of golden petals. When they cleared, Flowey was there, slumping as he sat in the ground.
"Flowey the flower…"
Chara smiled and chuckled, kneeling down beside Flowey. Despite everything that had been said, Chara pulled the Worn Dagger from Frisk's pocket. The Real Knife was in her other pocket, but he didn't want to severely damage Flowey. He stuck the knife in the ground and was surprised when Flowey didn't start complaining as he began to cut in a circle around him. Flowey still didn't speak he was lifted up, dirt and all, and placed delicately into the pot. The speed run back to New Home was as silent as the one to the Ruins.
"Flowey?"
"Shut up, Char-Char."
Chara smiled widely and could even feel Frisk chuckling at the use of an old nickname. Flowey had looked up almost immediately and blushed, pretending he hadn't said anything in the first place.
When they reached New Home again, Chara was exhausted, so Frisk took her body back. They walked through the castle, not taking notice the sound of extra footsteps down the stairs. The others were happy to see them, but the warm mood dropped the moment they saw Flowey. Sans and Undyne were the first to take battle stances, summoning bones and spears. Toriel and Asgore were next, the king summoning his trident and the former queen surrounding herself with fireballs. Papyrus and Alphys were last to get ready for a just-in-case battle, with Papyrus summoning bone spears in either hand and Alphys creating waves of electricity between her hands.
"Why are you with my child?"
Frisk moved Flowey behind them and shook her head, signing for them to calm down. No one took Frisk's advice and continued to glare at the golden menace.
"Geez, you kill a few people and suddenly you're the bad guy."
Frisk glared at Flowey and quickly thought of a way to draw everyone's attention away from Flowey. She trotted over to the barrier and pointed to it, motioning for everyone to follow her out. The notion seemed to cut the tension by half and all battle weapons and magic were put away to follow Frisk outside calmly.
The moment they walked out, Sans' eyes widened a considerable amount. Stars. Real stars. Real big balls of gas and fire burning millions of miles away and they twinkled beautifully. Sans smiled even wider and pulled on Papyrus scarf like a little kid.
"pap, pap, pap! bro, bro, pick me up!"
"OH, ALRIGHT BROTHER. YOU'RE ACTING STRANGELY."
Papyrus picked Sans up and placed his on his shoulders. Sans began mapping out constellations and telling them to Papyrus, who listened intensely to his brother space babble. He didn't understand most of the things Sans was naming, but the stars made Sans happy so that made him happy. While Sans and Papyrus were discussing stars, Alphys and Undyne were shying away from one another. Asgore was the one to finally say something.
"Isn't it beautiful everybody?"
Everyone murmured in response. They were too wrapped in the pure beauty of what was before them.
"Hey, I think I hear the voices coming from up here."
"Yeah, it had to be!"
Everyone turned back to the entrance to the Underground. Asgore and Undyne gaped, while Toriel looked like she was about to have a heart attack.
Six children emerged from the Underground, some stumbling on their legs. They were being led by a light skinned boy wearing the Stained Apron. His shirt was cut around the stomach on either side, the cuts being stained with dried blood. The other children had similar cuts on their clothes, all these rips being coated with dried blood. Toriel suddenly ran up and embraced them all in one big hug, tears pouring from her eyes.
"My children."
