NOTE: This is a short story based on a neutral ending for 'Undertale', so possible spoilers.


THE FLOWERS AN UNDERTALE STORY

Roses. Daisies. Tulips. Poppies. Lilies. They were everywhere; flowers of every kind. But why here? My eyes almost stung from the mere brightness of the place, and my bare feet grew sticky as I tried to wade through the thick growth. I thought about touching a flower. They were beautiful, and blue-bells were my favourite. But something stopped me. Something was warning me to keep away from them. I couldn't hear a warning, but somehow I could feel it.

I picked up the pace through the flowers, feeling the hot sun beat down on my forehead. As I looked up, I saw a person ahead of me: a girl around my age, brown hair tied back in a characteristic bun. As she met my eyes, I could have screamed.

"Bella," she called, with a voice so calm it unnerved me. "Pick a flower."

I froze on the spot. My limbs refused to move, and I couldn't form any words. Why the hell was she here now, after all this time? And why was she telling me this?

"Imogen, wha-"

"Do as I say and pick a flower!" she said more forcefully. "If you pick a flower you'll learn the truth."

I could hardly process everything at once. The endless meadow of flowers, her standing there, her command; it was all too much.

I looked down at where my ankles disappeared among the stems and leaves. There was a blue-bell right beside me. What would happen if I were to pick it? As I considered it, my cautious side began to weaken, the warnings in my head becoming less apparent. What harm would it really do? In the back of my mind I could feel a voice screaming at me, telling me to resist. But I ignored it.

I reached down, closed my fingers around the stem and plucked the blue-bell from the ground. I held it to my face, taking in its beauty, its innocence. I was instantly relaxed. Silly me. What harm does it do to pick a flow-

"Watch the flower, Bella!" Imogen shouted urgently. Startled, I quickly looked up, only to find she had completely vanished.

Confused, I looked back at the flower. But the blue-bell, to my horror, was not itself anymore. It was disintegrating, slowly but surely, into a smooth, dust-like sand that seeped through my fingers and onto the grass. I stood in shock, trying to piece together what could have happened. But then I shrieked in terror.

Something had closed itself around my ankle: something long and winding, rough like a flower's stem.

Like a flower's stem.

Oh, god. Oh my god, no.

I tried to yank free, but it had a tight grip on me. I looked around for Imogen, but there was no sign of her, as if she'd never been there at all. As I began to panic, struggling with all the power I had, a seething laugh that chilled my very bones sounded from below. I felt sick. I'd hoped never to hear that laugh again.

But he's dead. You... killed him. He's dead, he's dead, he's dead.

My reassurances did nothing, for the very same voice that haunted my dreams came into my ears, crawling up my skin like a bug. "You idiot, Bella. You ignored me again. What shall I do with you this time?"

I held back a sob as more vines crept up my body, holding my arms in place, curling around my waist, and clutching far too tightly around my throat.

"How does it feel, human?" the voice sneered. "To be trapped in my grasp with no way out? You can't kill me now. Not like you did last time." He let out another giggle. "Hee hee hee... you remember that, don't you, Bella? You always remembered it: the pain you inflicted, your lack of mercy. Too bad, wasn't it? After all the friends you'd made, and all the good you'd done, you threw it away at the very last moment. What a shame."

I cried for real then, feeling tears drip steadily down my face. Make it stop, please.

"What? You want me to stop?"

The flower chuckled maliciously. I was hardly listening though: how on earth had he read my thoughts like that?

"Aww, how pathetic. But no one will stop me now. Not this time. Say goodbye, Bella. Say goodbye to all your timelines forever!"

"No... no..." I pleaded, feeling the vines constrict me like snakes, tighter, and tighter, and tighter. I cried out for Imogen as my voice began to fail me, but I knew she was gone. She had left me again, and this time, I was dying.


I sat up with a scream. Sheets were enveloped around me, my skin was drenched in sweat, and a hint of light glowed in my face. As soon as I recollected myself, taking in the still silence of the bedroom, I began to relax, putting a hand on my heart as I gathered my breath.

Just a dream, I said to myself. It was just a dream.

That was all very well, but even though I was alive and safe in Snowdin, I couldn't shake off what I had just seen and felt: Flowey's coils around me, the demon-like voice, and my last breath being snatched from my lungs. I hugged my knees like a child. It had felt so real I was almost afraid it was an actual memory. It was as if I could still feel vines on me.

I took another breath, my face falling into my hands as I tried to keep calm. I wondered what the time was. With no sunlight in the underground, it was never easy to tell. I guessed it was early, judging by how groggy I felt. I was usually wide awake by 9 o'clock, but my limbs were still aching with the need to sleep. I knew I wouldn't be getting any more of that, regardless of how tired I was.

Rubbing my eyes, I slowly clambered out of bed. It felt better to be on my feet; to feel the air cooling me down. Since I was up, I decided I would head straight downstairs. I was never one to make too much noise, so there was no risk of disturbing anyone. The house was deadly quiet as I carefully made my way down the staircase, but once I reached the kitchen, I was startled to see I had company.

"Ahh, good morning, human! Breakfast?"

Papyrus was up and fully attired, bright and cheerful as always. I could have assumed he'd been up for a long time, judging by the state of the counters. I blinked, still dazed from my lack of sleep.

"Um... you're making breakfast?"

"Of course! Nothing stops the great Papyrus from serving up the best dish of the day!"

I scratched my head wearily, staring at the pre-prepared food. "Spaghetti?"

"What else, human? … That is, unless you have other preferences?"

There was obvious disappointment in his voice, and I didn't like it, so I smiled politely. "Not at all. That'll do fine, thanks."

"Well, of course it will, that was a rhetorical question."

On any other day I would have laughed, but this time I was in no mood for it. Instead I leaned against the wall, arms folded against my chest, feeling my silk nightgown against my skin. My despondency didn't seem to affect Papyrus though.

"You must have slept well, human!" he chattered, literally juggling utensils as he served spaghetti onto several plates. "You're up bright and early with great enthusiasm! I don't have to ask where you get your energy from with me around all the time."

"Papyrus-"

"So what are your exciting plans today? Cooking? Battle training? Undyne can help with either of those things, with the help of her very great assistant."

"Papyrus-"

"Or perhaps you wish to stay here for some relaxation. Mettaton has a new show to watch, or Sans and I could teach you some-"

"Papyrus!" I said firmly, finally stopping him in his tracks. "I... I actually haven't had a good night. That's why I'm here so early. I... I just can't go back to sleep right now."

I stared at the floor, twirling my bare feet in circles. Papyrus looked at me inquisitively, putting a bony thumb to his chin. "Hmm... I had a feeling this was so."

I frowned, looking at him again. "What do you mean?"

"Well, considering the racket you made earlier, I made the sensible notion of guessing you hadn't had your beauty sleep after all. Unless a particularly terrifying dog had broken into your room, I couldn't think of what else would startle you except bad dreams."

I bit my lip, embarrassed, hanging my head to avoid eye contact. "You heard that?" I asked shamefully.

"Nothing escapes the ears of Papyrus!" he proclaimed smugly, before suddenly realizing something. "Even though... I don't actually have ears. But still, it was not difficult to hear you, ears or not! So, to be on the safe side, I've been down here preparing my delicacies in case you showed up."

As I stood there with his smiling face in front of me, I hardly knew what to say. "Oh..." I managed to muster. I wanted to thank him, but was too overwhelmed even for that. "You've... you've been up for that long, at this time?"

"Why does that surprise you? The great Papyrus is full of energy each and every day."

That's not hard to believe. I thought with a smile.

"So, human, are you still wanting one of my expert dishes?" He presented a hot, steaming plate to me with one hand behind his back, giving me his largest grin possible, anticipating my response. To his happiness, I nodded. "Definitely. Thank you so much, Pap."

After taking the food, I reached over and quickly hugged him. He chuckled in response, perhaps out of embarrassment, but seemed grateful for the gesture all the same.

I ate my breakfast in the living room, plate on my lap as I looped the spaghetti around my fork and munched on it eagerly. It was delicious. Clearly Papyrus' cooking was improving. And on that particular morning, I was glad for it.

"I can't believe my lazy brother is still snoring!"

Papyrus had his hands on his hips in outrage, reminding me of a small child having a tantrum. "After all the hard work I'm putting in to make excellent food, not to mention my early rising to take care of a guest, Sans doesn't lift a finger!"

"He'll be up later," I assured him, my voice slightly muffled by pasta. "I wouldn't usually be awake this early myself."

"You have an excuse, human. My brother has none whatsoever!"

"Why don't you just sit down and forget about it for now?"

Papyrus shuffled restlessly from side to side, as if he were deciding between two impossible choices. In the end, he settled in an awkward position by the wall, halfway between sitting and standing. I hid a smile. It was a silly request to ask Papyrus of all people to relax. "Fine then," he muttered. "Why don't I ask about you instead? Are you planning to tell me more about your bad night?"

I paused in my eating, biting my lip nervously. No, I hadn't planned on telling him more. But since I was now in the thick of it, I figured I would have to. I tried not to let the overwhelming fear creep back into my veins as I put my plate down, considering how I would start explaining. "Well... it's a bit of a long and confusing story," I admitted, clasping my hands together to relieve some tension. "But first, can I ask you a question?"

"Ask away! The great Papyrus knows the answer to all questions!"

"Okay..." I took a deep breath, before realizing a tear had come to my eye. I quickly wiped it away. "Do you... do you think I'm a bad person?"

As expected, Papyrus was taken by surprise. He obviously, for the first time in his life, didn't know what to say. "Um..."

"Because I did a bad thing," I continued. "A really bad thing. And all I feel is regret. I don't know how to get rid of it, or how to make things right. I'm just totally lost." I sighed. "That's why I had a bad night. That's why I've been having nightmares."

I curled into a lying position with my head resting on the arm of the sofa. It had taken all my willpower to get that out, and now I didn't know what else to do apart from keep my tears back. I certainly didn't want to ruin Papyrus' mood by crying. Then, to my surprise, he speedily took a seat beside me. "Human. I'm going to tell you something that you might find interesting."

I sniffed, perking myself up as I listened to what he had to say.

"I've had the feelings you're experiencing myself."

I raised my eyebrows sceptically. "Really?"

"Yes, really!" he replied indignantly. "Many times! As great as I am, no-one avoids feeling regret at some point in their life. My regrets have been rather... regrettable."

"Let me guess. You felt humiliated after those puzzles you gave me?"

He looked extremely offended. "Don't be ridiculous! My puzzles were incredibly devious! You were lucky to get past them!"

"Riiiight. So was it about your lame attacks when we fought each other?"

"Don't push it, human."

I laughed, lifting myself into a sitting position.

"As a matter of fact, I had regrets long before meeting you. I often think that... well..."

I leaned closer, my curiosity peaked. "What?"

"Don't tell Sans I said this, but... I often think I should have been a better brother. Sans is a lazybones, but I have sometimes not given him credit for his good points. Nowadays... ehh, he's still a nuisance. But I don't let that get in the way of our brotherly bond."

He turned to face me, raising an authoritative finger in the air. "What I'm trying to say, human, is that we can't get rid of our regrets. We're not always able to put things right. But what we can do is dust ourselves off and move forward. Right?

I watched him as he waited for my reply, and thought about the question carefully. I supposed he was right. I had always focused too much on the past, and not enough on the future. Even before any of this happened, back on the surface, I was stuck in my memories for far too long. But... this was different. I had blood on my hands – I'd committed a murder. And despite it happening to a monster with no sense of remorse, who haunted my dreams every night, something about it felt so wrong that it totally changed the way I thought about myself.

"You are right, Pap. But... I've been thinking..." I propped my chin on my hands, the next words coming out reluctantly. "What if there is a way to set things right? What if I were to... what if I could..."

I trailed off, unable to finish as I watched Papyrus staring innocently at me. My mouth, for a moment, was frozen; my mind debated whether or not to say what I had planned to, but an intense guilt pulled me back. So instead, I shook my head and smiled.

"No. It's nothing."

Papyrus frowned. "Are you sure?"

"It's nothing, Papyrus. Honestly. Forget I said anything."

I placed my hand on his shoulder. "You said all the right things and I appreciate it. You're the best."

"No need to state the obvious," Papyrus said proudly. I sniggered quietly as he leapt off the sofa and pranced into the kitchen, no doubt to collect more spaghetti. After a moment, I felt my smile fading. I had just lied to him. I had lied to a friend; someone so innocent and caring that it made my guilt so much worse. But I couldn't tell him what I was thinking. It would break his heart, not to mention mine.

Letting out a quiet sigh, I rose to my feet and made my way to the stairs, planning to go back to my room for some solitude. But I had barely made contact with the first step when the one person who could see right through me appeared at the foot of the stairs.

"Morning, Bella."

I jumped back, letting out a squeal. "Sans! Don't do that!"

The witty skeleton was in his usual blue hoodie, hands in his pockets as he observed me with a penetrating gaze. He seemed far more serious than usual, and it unsettled me.

"So you're not telling him, huh?"

My heart stopped. For a second I couldn't say a word; not with Sans' eye-sockets on me. I folded my arms tightly to distract myself, noticing how I suddenly shuffled from one foot to the other. "T-telling him what? I don't know what you mean."

"Yeah, you do," he said calmly, and with a tone so casual you would have thought he was talking about the weather. I swallowed as I watched him examine his middle finger nonchalantly. He knew. But how? I'd always had a feeling Sans was aware of more than he cared to admit, but now he was confronting me, it felt more real and more frightening than ever.

I had to defend myself somehow. "Sans, I-"

"Look, kid." He held his hands up, as if he suddenly thought the matter was no big deal. "It's not up to me to decide what you do with your life. That's your fight, no-one else's. But I think you should learn some honesty along the way, don't you?"

I looked at the floor, feeling chastised. Don't cry, Bella, don't cry.

"I'm sorry. I... I just don't know what to do. I feel like a terrible person and... I... I don't know, I just..."

Sans interrupted before my tears could fall. "Hey. When did I say you were a bad person? You decide now if you're that person or not, with the choices you make. Like I said, no one's fault but yours, whatever you decide."

I nodded, biting my lip to stop it trembling. "Okay."

"Who knows?" he said with a sudden grin. "Maybe I'll see you in the next life and you'll be much happier. But I've got one piece of advice for you."

A nervous chill struck me as his smile was instantly replaced by a sombre glare. I had to take a step back. "Don't lie to my brother," he growled, pointing a finger right at me. "Ever."

My heart was pounding so hard I wanted to run from the room. Of all people, I'd never expected Sans to make me this nervous. "I'm so sorry."

"Sans, is that you finally moving about?"

Papyrus' voice from the kitchen quickly broke the tension, making Sans, to my relief, step away. "Yeah and I want my breakfast, Pap," he called, looking happy for the first time that morning.

He turned back to me, serious again. "Go on, go upstairs. I mean, if that's you want."

I paused. Was he taunting me? I wanted to leave right then, but something was stopping me. It didn't take me long to break, however. I gave him a nervous look, before finally heading up the stairs without turning back. As soon as I reached my room, I slammed the door and ran to my bed, falling face-down into the pillows. And that was when I finally cried.


I fell asleep again that morning. And I had another dream.

I wasn't in the flowers this time. I was sitting in an empty room, shrouded in almost complete darkness. But then I realised someone was there. Hands were reaching out to grab me, and at first I shrieked in terror. Then I heard a voice.

"It's okay, Bella, it's me."

Imogen.

I relaxed for a moment, feeling the familiarity of her hands in mine, looking up to see the blurred outline of her face in the darkness. She was smiling gently; her glasses were on the tip of her nose, just as I remembered. I felt my hands shaking. It was like seeing a ghost, but not one that scared me. Someone that I actually loved and cared about. I was relieved to have her with me. However my happiness quickly turned to anger as I came to my senses and pushed her hands off. "Don't you touch me."

Imogen looked disappointed as she leaned back in her own chair. "Why are you being like that?"

"You know damn well why," I snarled. "What do you think you're playing at? Coming to me at random times when you should have been there for me years ago?"

She sighed, as if trying to cool her temper. "Things changed for me, Bella. I couldn't help that."

"Oh, really?" I could feel my anger rising, my fists clenching at my sides. "How so? And why wouldn't you get in touch with me to tell me where you were? It killed me not knowing, Imogen, I was just a child!" I paused, sadness coming over me. "It was even worse for Mum."

"You think I don't know that?" she snapped. I was sure I'd heard her voice crack. "I never wanted to hurt you or Mum, but it ended up that way, and I would have done everything in my power to change it if I could. That's just how it happened and I'm really sorry."

She looked at me for a moment, searching my face for any sign of forgiveness. She seemed to know that she wasn't going to get it, so she leaned forward, placing her elbows on the table that stood between us. "But, Bella, I'm here now. And I want to help you."

"Help me?" I exclaimed. I still felt so angry I could hardly contain it. I turned away from her, shuffling my chair in the process. "Help me with what?"

"You've got a choice to make, haven't you?"

In my dream state, I found it difficult to recollect my memories from the real world, so it took me a moment to think, going through all the things I could remember one by one: Mum. Dad. … Wait. No. The underworld. The barrier, Papyrus, Sans... and... the flower. Oh, god, the flower.

Then I remembered everything. I turned back to meet Imogen's eyes. She had her gaze right on me as I processed her question. "How do you know about that?"

"I know what it's like, Bella." She was suddenly very distant, her face clouded with an eerie shadow of thought. "To feel so much regret that it eats you up inside; to hope you can find a way to reverse everything so you can be happy again."

Was she referring to her regret about me, I wondered? I suddenly felt her hand grab mine from across the table, and this time, I didn't shy away. "You have that power, Bella. I never did, and I wish so badly that I could have done. Don't throw away the gift you've been given. Use it. I know it's what you want."

I bit my lip and scrunched up my eyes, trying to shut out the entire world. I wanted to ignore her words; to try and repress the guilt that had been plaguing me for so long. She was right. It was what I wanted. But I couldn't stand to think about it, let alone admit it. I tried to revert my mind back to my friends: Papyrus' infectious laughter, Mettaton's charming voice, Alphys' timid habits... And then I remembered Sans.

"You decide now if you're the bad person or not, with the choices you make. No-one's fault but yours, whatever you decide."

I opened my eyes again. Imogen was still staring at me, patient expectancy in her eyes. "What do other people's feelings matter, Bell?" she asked, with an emotionless shrug. "Only you matter now. You can change everything, and you might not even remember your friends after that."

The thought of that twisted my stomach in impossible ways, making me feel sick. But I kept thinking back to my wrongdoing, and I didn't know which hurt more.

I locked eyes with Imogen furiously. "Why are you here?" I demanded. "Why are you telling me this? And what do these dreams mean?"

She moved her thumb over my hand as she thought to herself. As I observed her more carefully, I saw there was something unnervingly dark about the eyes that I remembered being so bright. It was almost like they weren't there any more.

"These dreams are how I manifest myself," she began to say, her head bowed towards the table. "I can't do it any other way because I'm not a physical part of this world any more. But since these are your dreams, your fears manifest themselves too. I've seen it many times. And recently, you've been seeing that flower..."

"Don't!" I covered my face with my hands, as if the monster would reveal himself at any moment. I was still in a dream after all.

"He frightens you," Imogen recognized. "But you want to go back and save him? There were so many times I wished I could have done that."

I removed my hands slowly to stare at her in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"You wonder why I'm here, Bella. I'm here because you need someone to tell you to listen to your heart, and I'm the only one that can do it."

I scoffed. "Seriously? You think I'm going to listen to you, the person who abandoned me for most of my life?"

"I never abandoned you, Bella. I was always there, wherever you went. You just didn't see me."

I stared at her, my mouth open a crack as I tried to understand. But what she said next threw away everything I believed in an instant.

"Why do you think I disappeared so suddenly in the first place? What does that remind you of? It happened to you after all – who's to say it didn't happen to me?"

She rose from the chair, holding my gaze as she started to back away into the growing darkness. "Do what you need to, little sis. Go back to the beginning, change things. You know it'll be worth it."

I gripped the sides of my chair in disbelief as her entire body, limbs and face, simply faded into the blackness, like fog on glass. All that was left in her place was a bright, glowing orb that hovered in the air. I put my hand to my mouth in shock.

It was a blue heart. And it shattered.


I didn't need any more dreams. I didn't need any more words, advice, or unnecessary taunting from those who were both alive and dead. I'd had enough. I'd made up my mind.

My heart was heavy as I walked through the snow, the cold air nipping against the skin not covered by my winter coat. I brought it around me more tightly to keep in the warmth. I smiled. It smelt of Sans. It was clear he'd made good use of it before handing to me.

I was far from the town now, shielded from any prying eyes. I'd even left my phone at the house to avoid any chance of someone calling me. I was back on the familiar pathway leading to the ruins, where I had first stepped foot into this strange world. The memories were clear, and yet, it felt like it had happened years ago.

I went into the trees that lined the path, squeezing between them to make myself totally concealed. I managed to walk quite far, where the wood began to thicken so much I could barely see a thing. When the area felt quiet enough, and empty enough, I stopped. It was still freezing, despite the shelter of the forest, and my breath came out in a slow, wispy fog. I slowly sank to my knees, leaning against a tree for comfort. I shivered, wrapping my arms around my shoulders as snowflakes fell all around. I thought about what I had to do, and it made my head ache. The more my head ached, the more I thought, and the more I thought, the easier it became for long-buried memories to surface...

"Wh-what are you doing?"

I was kneeling in front of the creature in its weakened state, laying my weapon on the ground.

"Do you really think I've learned anything from this? No!"

I stared upon its withered form, briefly recalling the hatred I had felt so strongly only seconds before. Blood still crawled down my cheeks from where I'd almost been torn apart. I wasn't going to sink to that level.

"Sparing me won't change anything," the creature croaked, its head bowed. "Killing me is the only way to end this."

I bit my lip, trying to block out its words. No. I can't go against my ethics. So why was this so difficult?

I shook my head decisively at the flower, trying to push my fear down into my gut.

"If you let me live... I'll come back."

It was finally looking at me. Evil eyes were focused on mine, and they chilled me to the very bone. I suddenly tensed. There was something very clear about the threat: what would really happen if I let it live? Was my mercy really going to be worth it in the end? Was it a sin to risk the lives of everyone I cared about, just for the sake of my conscience?

"No!" I cried.

I shut my eyes so I couldn't see its malevolent smile, clenching my fists to stop myself from grabbing my weapon.

"I'll kill you!" the thing screeched madly.

It sounds weak. You could finish it off now.

No, Bella, don't think like that!

"I'll kill... everyone you love!"

That was the final straw. Before my mind was aware of it, my hands were on the knife and I landed the flower with one heavy, downward strike, yelling as I did so.

Then there was a long moment of silence as I realised what I'd done. I gasped, my hands shaking as I moved them away from the handle of the knife. I fell onto my back in shock, staring at the dagger that had been permanently lodged into the flower's face. Eyes were on me again. This time, to my utter horror, they looked incredibly happy. "I knew you had it in you."

Then there was nothing. The flower became limp, silent, as every flower should be. The face was gone, as was the life. My work was done.


I was trying to protect everyone. I didn't want my friends to get hurt. It was for the greater good. I'm not a bad person.

And yet here I was: alone in the forest, feeling sorry for myself, and prepared to do the impossible to change my actions. Tears slid down my face as I stared at the device in my hand. On it, there was a single word.

'RESET'.

I let out a heavy sob, realising the enormity of what I'd decided. Could I really do it? Could I really lose everything I'd worked so hard for, just to alter one mistake?

I had to. The regret was too much to bear, especially after what Imogen said. But all the same, I couldn't stop crying.

"Sans... Papyrus... I'm so sorry." I wiped my face of cold tears, talking as if those lovable skeletons could hear me, though I knew they couldn't. "I-I'll see you again. I p-promise."

I poised my finger, ready to press the button. For a moment, I saw familiar faces flash through my mind. The faces of friends. Friends I would ultimately lose.

Oh, god. I can't do it. I can't. I...

"Goodbye."

I pressed the button.


The flowers. They were warm, cradling me like a soft mattress. Where was I? I couldn't remember.

I opened my eyes, taking in the scene around me. It was dark and quiet, and although it scared me, there was something strangely familiar about this place, like a distant memory I couldn't get back. I sat up, putting a hand to my throbbing forehead. I'd fallen, judging by the pain. But that wasn't all. The flowers... they reminded me of something. Just the feeling of them. I turned my head and stared at them... and then I suddenly remembered.

The flowers were yellow; like the non-existent sun, and one of the many lost souls that travelled through the air. I would be seeing more flowers in the days to come. After all, it was only the beginning.