Small Note: So this is my first time writing something like this, and I've probably done a crappy job, but I hope you enjoy it!

Part 1: Betrayal Kill

POV: SANS

Snowdin was silent.

Grilllby and Riverperson had already taken care of evacuating everyone; I came back when I could to check on their progress. My footprints were just one pair among many in the compact snow, though the other tracks were much more panicked in nature. I had just given the human their final warning. They'd be coming through here any minute now. They weren't my primary concern, however.

Somehow, in all of the chaos, I had forgotten about my brother.

I called out his name upon entering the house, the warm atmosphere doing nothing to relieve me of my chills. I checked every room but there was no sign of him... a torrent of echoing questions filled the unnatural silence.

Did he leave with the others? Did he go warn the citizens in Waterfall? Was he getting Undyne at that very moment? There was only one way to find out, even if it opened up the possibly of being exposed to less than happy outcomes.

As I began to open the front door from the inside, I froze at the sight of the dust-covered human walking past, mindlessly adjusting their bandanna. Their face was as expressionless as when I first shook their hand. Despite the powder coating the kid's gloves, I was filled with hope.

It wasn't too late - not yet.

I could still save Papyrus.

POV: FRISK

The corridor is silent.

I march down the golden hall for what must be the 100th time at this point. I'm not scared of him anymore, of dying however horrifically. I know his patterns now. I could try to go for a no-hit run if I had the patience. But I've already wasted enough time with this comedian who can't count past a dozen. This is going to end, right here, right now, one way or another.

"let's just get straight to the point," he sighs. It seems the lazy bones agrees with me. He doesn't even bother with his whole "burning in hell" prelude; just a "ready?" before what he calls his strongest attack... though I've gotten far enough in the past to know he still has some unholy special attack up his sleeve.

I imagine hardcore rock music playing in the background as the duel commences. Before long, a plethora of white and blue bones, missed attacks, stick out of the floor and walls. Some of the pillars and windows have had holes blasted through them by his weird laser things.

The skeleton sweats, and I am filled with hope.

This will be the last time.

POV: SANS

I was silent.

I stayed right behind the human, hoping to get the jump on them when they entered the foggy steam created by the melting ice in Waterfall. Just as I reached out my hand to turn their SOUL blue, a second, instantly recognizable silhouette emerged from the grey ahead of us. As long as he was watching, I wouldn't dare attack them outright.

In that moment, my worst fears came to life... but I was about to realize something even worse than what I'd ever imagined possible.

I couldn't remember the last time I ran, but I did that day, faster than ever before... only to hit some unseeable barrier head-on, knocking me down.

"oww." I rubbed my skull, wincing from the sudden, sharp pain. In retrospect, a I was lucky to have not died from that, what with only having one HP and all.

"what the... when did this get here?" I wondered as I stood. I tried reaching my hand forward, and a few inches in front of me, I felt... something. The sensation is hard to describe, but it was sorta like... an electric waterfall. It certainly wasn't pleasant, but it didn't really hurt either. Of course, that wasn't what matter; the important part was that I couldn't reach through it, no matter how far I stretched.

I subconsciously started paying closer attention to the words coming from the other side, all in my brother's voice.

"IT FEELS... THAT YOUR LIFE IS GOING DOWN A DANGEROUS PATH."

Just from that sentence, I knew what he intended, and that was when the gravity of the situation sent me plummeting into the Earth's core.

The human was going to kill him.

POV: FRISK

I wish I didn't remember.

The memories were locked away in the back of my mind the whole time. With each death, the chains loosened, and the photo was the key that set them free to occupy the fractures in my fragmented brain. The big-boned skeleton was right after all.

I had gone through the Underground before, without killing a single monster. I had made new friends and, with their support, survived the wrath of a lost child playing god. The fallen prince broke the barrier and we all got to go free. I started a life with Toriel and the others on the surface. It was a rough start, considering what humans are like, but for the most part, we were... happy. I certainly wasn't angry at any of them or bored of my new home.

So why? Why did I go back?

... How did I go back?

I don't remember ever considering starting over - I didn't know until now that I could go back father than my most recent SAVE point. I certainly don't remember planning to reset so that I could kill all the members of my newfound family.

The last thing I remember is having Mettaton take that very photo with me, Sans, Papyrus, Undyne, Alphys, Toriel, and Asgore in it. Somehow, it all got... erased. And now Sans thinks I was the one to undo our happy ending.

My hands are sweating storms. Any second now, my body will involuntarily attack, and I'll go back to robot mode, acting out of pure survival instinct and memorization. But now that I know the truth... now that I remember getting to know all these monsters I've committed genocide on... I can't let myself be brainwashed again.

He said, "if we're really friends, you won't come back."

And this time, I'll prove him right.

I stand slowly, my entire body quaking. Sans' eyes snap open with muffled grunts, as if he fell asleep in the middle of our battle. I don't know what will happen to me if I let go of my determination when he kills me - if I refuse to reload my SAVE - but I hope I'll get the chance to start over one final time. I know I don't deserve it, but they do.

Maybe I'll even get some answers from whomever or whatever ruined everything.

I just can't understand.

POV: SANS

[*FIGHT]

Papyrus' neck collapsed from the force of the punch and his body crumbled to dust before my already red eyes. A sudden gust of wind blowing from Waterfall in my direction scattered his remains among the fog and snowflakes. I could only watch it sail above my head, out of reach; so close and yet so far.

To my utter shock, however, his head remained fully intact. It landed lightly in the snow, the human inching forward towards it.

What's left of my little brother stammered, "WELL... THAT'S NOT WHAT I EXPECTED," in a manner in which I knew he was lying. What was left of my SOUL shattered. He already knew it was hopeless, and yet his integrity compelled him to try anyway.

"STILL... I... I BELIEVE IN YOU!" he continued, his voice slowly fading. "YOU CAN DO A LITTLE BETTER! EVEN IF YOU DON'T THINK SO!"

The human paused right in front of him, so that I couldn't see his dying expression. It's probably for the best. They didn't seem to know what to do. I could just barely hear the final words he said before his skull dissolved:

"I... I PROMISE..."

My hand remained outstretched to Papyrus, waiting for the invisible wall to fade. By the time the human disappeared from sight and I was free to step forward, my arm was limp, and I'd run out of tears. All the water had already been wring out of me. I was hollow.

There was nothing left to mourn over when I reached the spot where he'd been murdered. My brother was gone. The only chance I had of getting him back was if his killer RESET again, so I hid away with Alphys and watched.

And waited.

Waited for my chance to FIGHT.

Waiting to step into my role as judge.

I counted the times the human died to Undyne, but eventually, despite her valor, she became predictable. I don't know what Alphys would have done when she turned to dust if I hadn't been there. I reminded her that she still had to evacuate those in the MTT hotel and promised I would call Asgore to tell him to absorb the six humans SOULs.

But if there's any one trait my family shares, it's that we can't keep our promises. I knew it was pointless; this kid found a way to break the barrier in another timeline - what was a god to them?

I wish I could have been there for Alphys and Napstablook when Mettaton was murdered, but I had a job to do. At this point, the human knew they were nearing the end, and they clearly intended to finish, no matter the consequences. If Undyne the Undying, as Alphys lovingly knighted her, couldn't crush their spirit and get them to give up, what chance did I have?

Yet I was going to try anyway. I had to. I couldn't save Papyrus, but I wasn't going to pass up on my opportunity to get revenge when it finally came.

Though Undyne always had a flair for the overdramatic, she did have a point. For the future of both humans and monsters... for the sake of everyone's hopes and dreams...

The human had to die.

POV: FRISK

[*MERCY]

My knife clatters to the scorched floor. He lets out a deep sigh, as if he's been holding his breath. What he doesn't realize is that this is a victory for both of us - for all of us.

"...you're sparing me?" he asks in genuine disbelief. I use the little strength I have to nod, tears dangling from the corners of my eyes.

"finally. buddy. pal." he winks. I try my hardest to smile.

"i know how hard it must be to make that choice. to go back on everything you've worked up to." He wipes the sweat from his forehead as he speaks.

"i want you to know..." He begins to step forward. I stand my ground, resolved to my fate.

"i won't let it go to waste." He stops a half a foot in front of me.

"c'mere, pal." he winks a second time, arms outstretched in a familiar position. I can finally see the familial resemblance.

I take in a deep breath, then march up to my self-appointed executioner, one step at a time. When I reach him, I complete his embrace, letting myself fall into him so I can save my strength for when the attack comes. Hopefully it's less painful the second time.

I look up and see his right eye glow, switching from light blue, the color of patience, to yellow - the color of justice. In this case, he's delivering justice as a classic dish of revenge served cold.

Being essentially immune to death for so long makes it nearly impossible for me to fully comprehend my current situation; if I could, I probably wouldn't have made this choice. But now I have to accept it.

I am about to die.

POV: SANS

Fate is in my hands.

I summon the bones with barley a second thought. I give them their final piece of advice as their HP drains, but I know they won't listen. Papyrus already gave them a proper chance, and they were too determined to let Undyne win. Makes me wonder why they fell for such an obvious trap, especially after considering it for so long.

Then again, they've already fought me enough times to memorize most of my early attacks... they probably just wanted to see what I'd do before they go for the kill, so to speak.

No matter. I see their SOUL splintering down the middle. Turns out victory actually tastes bittersweet. With how well they did up to this point, I have a feeling this next duel will be my last.

Well, it was fun slaying demons. Better make this fight a good one then - for my own sake of course, not theirs.

They're just a dirty brother killer. I've already given them all they deserve.

GAME OVER

YOU CHOOSE TO...

QUIT.

QUITTING ...

...

This world will continue on without you.

They have to live with the

CONSEQUENCES.

So yeah, that's what I have so far. I hope I did okay, and if you have any suggestions on how I can improve on my writing I would greatly appreciate it! But that's all for now, so I'll see ya later!