You stared at the door. It seemed to mock you, standing as tall, and dark as it had every time before this one. You closed your eyes, steadying yourself for that last, deciding step. It would work this time. It had to work this time.

Your friends are waiting to exit the underground with you... it fills you with determination.

You let out the breath you hadn't realized you'd been holding, and stepped through the doorway for the twenty-seventh time. The world went white. You lifted one hand to shield your eyes against the sudden brightness. Only a few days in the underground, and you had already become unused to the sun. Had it really only been a few days? It felt so much longer.

You couldn't remember what your mother's voice sounded like.

For a moment, it almost felt like it worked. You heard your friends' footsteps behind you, and you thought you could glimpse a sunset through the blinding whiteness. But you could already feel it, the all-too-familiar tug on your soul, pulling you backwards, back to the beginning.

"No! Wait!" You felt tears streaming down your face, your little-used voice cracking.

It was too late. You were already falling.

You always managed to land differently every time. This time, it was your arm that bore the brunt of the fall. For a moment you thought you'd broken it, but the pain faded away as quickly as it had come. You were left with a headache, that only intensified as you eased yourself to your feet, though whether that was from the fall or the time travel, you didn't know.

I told you it wouldn't work. Why do you keep doing this?

You ignored the voice, brushing golden petals off of your shirt. Your opinion of the flower patch had significantly decreased since you'd learned of its history. No matter how many times you did it, standing on a grave was still icky.

You knew from experience that you couldn't stay here. Nothing would ever happen, no matter how long you sat waiting. Besides, your determination was driving you forward, so you entered the next room.

As always, Flowey was waiting for you. Once, you'd killed him. He hadn't bothered you in the next run, but it had left you with a sick feeling in your gut. You hadn't done it since.

''Frisk! Are you listening to me?" You hadn't even realised Flowey had been speaking, and now he was pouting. ''I'm trying to teach you how things work around here!"

You felt your soul being pulled from your body, and you found yourself confined inside what you had come to refer to as the ''battle screen''. Flowey was in front of you, instructing you on the various fighting terms, but you weren't listening. You already knew all of this, and you suspected he only explained it every time to annoy you. After all, he'd shown knowledge of the resets before.

You didn't bother dodging the ''friendliness pellets'' when they came at you, no matter how fun it was to tease the easily-upset flower. You dropped to your hands and knees, as your HP was reduced to one. You had known it was coming, but the bullets never lost their sting. Vaguely, you were aware of Flowey mocking you for your ignorance. Luckily, he never talked for too long.

"DIE"

You smiled as the little white pellets surrounded you, knowing what came next. You reached out a hand to touch one, eager to hasten the encounter and move on. Relief replaced the pain as healing magic surrounded you and your HP refilled itself.

''What the-'' Flowey's confused frown was funny, but you only had a few minutes to enjoy it before the little flower was thrown aside.

''What a terrible creature, torturing such a poor, innocent youth.'' A familar form stepped into the light, her eyes soft and kind. She was already walking towards you, but you were faster.

You stumbled to your feet, and threw yourself at her, a sob hitching your throat.

''My child, are you alright?" It was impossible to miss the confusion in her voice, but still she wrapped her arms around you, as you squeezed your own around her neck. That was what you loved about Toriel. No matter how many times you reset, or what kind of weird circumstances you met her under, she still loved you. The hug lasted longer than it might've normally, but not nearly as long as you wanted it to. But you had to let go, or the story would never progress. Still, you kept a firm grip on her hand and let her lead you away. You liked the way her hand felt on yours. You didn't think real goats were so soft, maybe she used conditioner. You'd never asked her.

Your trip through the ruins progressed as it normally did. You let Toriel help you with the early puzzles, and stopped to talk to every Froggit you could, even though you already knew what they would say. You did rush through a bit after Toriel left to run errands. You didn't want to walk around too much by yourself.

You lingered at her house a little longer than you needed to. You didn't want to fight her again, even though you knew Sans and Papyrus were waiting just on the other side of the door. You always hated the fights.

Would you just get it over with already? She'll be back later and you know it.

The voice always grew impatient when you spent too long in one spot.

So you did what you had to, nothing would progress if you didn't. It wasn't hard, you were getting really good at dodging Toriel's attacks by now, and you knew to keep sparing her until she stopped. The first time, you had killed her by accident, and even after that you had dawdled around trying to talk to her for far too long until you realized you didn't have to.

Again, you held the hug for a little too long. You wouldn't see her again until you got all the way to Asgore, and you always missed her. Gently, she pushed you away, and told you not to come back. That part always hurt, even though you knew she was just scared.

You told her, with your hands, that you were sorry. Though her paws were too big to make the shapes herself, Toriel always understood yours. All the monsters did, you'd never really thought to wonder why.

Toriel smiled down at you with sad eyes. Then she walked away without another word. You already knew that you couldn't chase after her. If you went upstairs, the house would be empty, and she wasn't anywhere in the ruins either. You could only assume that she went to the same place she'd done her errands earlier. The only way you could go was forward.

The first few moments in the cold always shocked you. It was lucky you had fallen in your sweater, or it would be worse. Still, you weren't really dressed for winter. You took a few steps forward, waiting to hear the familiar crunch of boots behind you, but they never came.

Instead, Sans was waiting for you just a few feet into the forest, leaned up against a tree. His posture was relaxed, but his expression was dark, and you could feel anger rolling off of him. You'd never seen him like this.

''Let's skip the intro this time kid. I've got a bone to pick with you.'' The pun seemed to be habit more than anything else, as there was no humor in his voice.

You lifted your shaking hands, telling Sans that you didn't know what he meant. This was new, why was it new? You didn't know how to respond.

A flash of annoyance crossed his face. ''Hey, do me a favor and drop the mute act, alright? I know you've got a voice, and I'm not in the mood to play charades.'' You noticed with alarm that the light in one eye had been colored an electric blue. The other was completely black.

''S-sans? I don't understand..." Your voice was rough from disuse. Why was he acting like this?

"D.O.N.T. P.L.A.Y. D.U.M.B. W.I.T.H. M.E" He lifted one hand, his blue eye glowing with unnatural power.

You were lifted in the air and suspended there, your view of the world suddenly filtered through the same blue color as his eye. You didn't have the breath to even gasp.

"Twenty-seven times, Frisk? Is this fun to you? Are you enjoying this?" With a flick of his wrist, your gravity was changed, and you hurtled back towards the ruin door.

With a sickening crunch, you hit the uneven stone, and you felt something break. Whether it was the door or you, you couldn't tell, but your HP dropped to ten.

''Why can't you just let us go? Why do you keep bringing us back?" At the end of each sentence, he threw you against the door again, and your HP was depleted further.

Five HP.

Three HP.

Finally, he dropped you to the ground. You left a crimson stain where you landed you wondered why he stopped, then you heard the hurried boot-steps coming your way.

''BROTHER? IS EVERYTHING ALRIGHT? I HEARD A STRANGE NOISE...ARE YOU FINALLY RECALIBRATING YOUR PUZZLES?"

Sans didn't want his brother to see, you could see it in his face.

''Sorry old lady...'' He muttered, and you got the sense he wasn't talking to you. ''This is why I don't make promises.''

You barely even felt the bones pierce your body.