Frisk was silent as Chara entered the final hallway leading to Asgore, tracking dust with each step. This was their fault. They knew it was their fault. Even if Chara was the one who had done the majority of the killing, Frisk had started it. They just had to be curious, didn't they? And now their friends were dead. Their happy ending was over. Frisk knew, and so did Chara, exactly who it was who would be waiting for them at the end of the hallway.

*Heya.
*You've been busy, huh?

Sans the skeleton. Sans was a short skeleton, with large sockets that flickered with strange pinprick lights, and he always seemed to have a smile plastered onto his face. Even when he was threatening Frisk back at Mettaton's restaurant, that smile never changed. Frisk didn't know what to expect. They had never fought Sans before. In fact, he was one of the few monsters in the UNDERGROUND who had never tried to attack them. Sans was just...a pun loving lazybones. "This should be easy. " Chara's voice echoed through Frisk's mind, and they felt their grip on the dust covered knife tightening. Sans seemed to notice this and eyed the knife for a moment before continuing on.

*...

*So, I've got a question for ya.

*Do you think even the worst person can change...?
*That everybody can be a good person, if they just try?

Of course Chara didn't reply, and Frisk didn't even try to make them. What could they say to Sans after all this? "Hey buddy, sorry for killing all your friends and family~" Chara cackled and Frisk winced. They were right. Nothing they could say would ever make this okay. Chara took a step forward. Sans watched with his usual grin, hands shoved lazily in his pockets. He honestly didn't look surprised. "Well duh? You honestly thinks he would expect even an ounce of goodness to come from a dirty brother killer?"

*Heh heh heh heh...

Frisk's hair stood up on end.

*Alright.

*Well, here's a better question.

Sans had closed his eyes, as if debating what he was going to do. Once he opened them, those pinprick lights had completely faded, making his smile even more eerie.

*Do you wanna have a bad time?

*'cause if you take another step forward...

*You are REALLY not going to like what happens next.

Chara, please. Can't we just...can't we stop? Frisk pleaded with the demon child. You've had your fun. Chara merely giggled, taking another step towards the skeleton.

*Welp.

*Sorry, old lady.

*This is why I never make promises.

Frisk and Chara were flung into a battle sequence, their bright red SOUL pulled from their chest and floating between them and Sans. It looked...different. Still bright in color, but it had faded somehow, and looked cracked in places. Even Sans had noticed and stared for a moment before closing his eyes...sockets...and taking a deep breath.

*It's a beautiful day outside.

*Birds are singing...

*Flowers are blooming.
*On days like these,
*Kids like you...

Suddenly his eyes snapped open, and while the right socket was still empty, the left now had a a light that alternated between blue and yellow.

* l.

Even Chara couldn't hold back a shriek as Sans lifted his left arm and Frisk's soul was suddenly turned blue. It, along with them, were flung into the air and slammed back down painfully. A row of bones suddenly burst through the golden tile and stabbed at the SOUL, hurting Frisk in the process. This was followed by more bones, and then three strange animal skulls seemed to materialize out of nowhere, blasting lasers at Frisk and their SOUL multiple times. By the time Sans' turn had ended, Frisk's HP had dropped to 48/92. It was a miracle they had even survived that.

*Huh.

*Always wondered why people never used their strongest attack first.

Sans shrug as he spoke, and finally Chara's turn had come up. "Stupid comedian!" It's a beautiful day to be burning in hell...

*You feel like you're going to have a bad time.*

The menu appeared before Chara and they slammed their hand down on the FIGHT button before lunging at Sans, swinging their knife at him. But the skeleton merely side stepped away, his grin growing somehow. You missed. Sans gave a wink and a shrug.

* What? You think I'm just gonna stand there and take it?

With that, more bones came through the floor, and even the ceiling, forcing Chara to jump between them to stay out of harms way as they moved towards them.

*You feel your sins crawling on your back.*

Again Chara hit FIGHT, and again they swung at Sans. Still, he dodged. You aren't going to beat him. "Shut up!"

* Our reports showed a massive anomaly in the timespace continuum.

*Timelines jumping left and right, stopping and starting...

This time, Sans threw in a few blue attacks. Chara figured it would be easy to deal with, but in the end Sans managed to kill them.

"Not a big deal.."

Chara STOP.

Load save file

And they started over again. This time Chara knew how to dodge up until they reached that point once more. Attack.. Dodge.

* Until suddenly, everything ends.

Attack. Dodge.

Attack. Dodge.

*Heh heh heh...

Sans stared at the human preteen, once again his eyes completely void. Even his smile seemed hallow.

*That's your fault, isn't it?

Once again he got Chara down to zero HP. Chara and Frisk were knocked back into what Chara called the 'void', where the different options waited. LOAD, and RESET. Chara immediately went to LOAD, but a sudden loud banging noise made them stagger back. It sounded like..it almost sounded like something was trying to break through the void. Suddenly a bright light blinded both them and Frisk, and when they pair finally looked, there, in bright purple font was a third option.

NEW GAME

Frisk would have begged Chara to select this option, pleaded, but somehow this new choice felt...wrong. Like if they chose it something terrible would happen. Frisk was scared before but now...something was wrong. Something was horribly, horribly wrong. So they didn't stop Chara when they decided to reload.

*You felt your sins weighing on your neck.*

*You can't understand how this feels.

Frisk cringed, but still, they didn't try to stop Chara. They didn't want to go back to the void. They didn't want to see that option again.

*Knowing that one day, without any warning...

*It's all going to be reset.

"OH YES THEY DO~"

Chara skidded to a halt, their eyes darting around wildly and Frisk, even if they were only in a spiritual form, was shaking. This voice in their mind...they had never heard it before. And it sounded so malicious, so..violent. Worse than Chara, somehow. Sans noticed this sudden behavior and for a split second looked concerned, maybe, but took this as his chance to attack. This caught Chara off guard. 1 HP. No, no, no! We can't go back there! Frisk's voice shook. Chara growled and attacked the skeleton. Dodge. Sans raised his arms and his expression somehow softened.

*Look. I gave up trying to go back a long time ago.

Eat. 41 HP.

*And, getting to the surface doesn't really appeal anymore, either.

Blasters. "Dammit!"

*Cause even if we do...

*We'll just end up right back here, without any memory of it, right?

"AND YOU KNOW HOW THAT FEELS, HUH FRISK?"

Frisk's body was raking with sobs. They didn't know why they were crying they just...were. This voice, it scared them. More than anything else in the world. More than that creature that had chased them up the mountain...

Attack. Dodge.

*To be blunt...

*makes it kind of hard to give it my all.

Attack. Dodge.

*or is that just a poor excuse for being lazy...

*Hell if I know.

Sans gave another wink and proceeded to attack. Chara was actually SCREAMING in anger. Frisk couldn't move. They couldn't even think straight.

*All I know is..
*Seeing what comes next..
*I can't afford not to care anymore.

Oh god. His attacks were becoming faster. 10 HP. Chara shrieked as they swung at him.

*Ugh...

*That being said...
*You, uh, really like swinging that thing around, huh?

Suddenly Sans seemed to relax, almost, though he was sweating too. This caught both Chara's attention, and Frisk's, who sniffled, trying to choke back a sob.

*Listen.

*I know you didn't answer me before, but...

*Somewhere in there, I can feel it.

*There's a glimmer of a good person inside of you.

*The memory of someone who once wanted to do the right thing.

Frisk suddenly stopped their crying, their sobs caught in their throat. What..what was he talking about? He couldn't be serious, could he? What was he trying to do...

*Someone who, in another time, might have even been...

*A friend?

Was he...was he going to spare them? Oh god. Oh god. This...this could be it. If Frisk could get control back, they could tell Sans what was going on. They could figure out what to do!

*C'mon, buddy.

*Do you remember me?

I DO! "Shut up! He's only trying to trick you! I'M the one in control!"

*Please, if you're listening...

*Let's forget all this, ok?

*Just lay down your weapon, and...

*Well, my job will be a lot easier.

*Sans is sparing you*

*You are filled with DETERMINATION*

Gathering all of their strength, all of their DETERMINATION, Frisk grabbed hold of Chara an ripped the demon from their body. The knife clattered to the ground and Frisk let out a sob as Sans stared at them in surprise. They reached ut, hand shaking, and hit the MERCY button. Then SPARE. "S-Sans..."

*...

*You're sparing me?

*Finally.

*Buddy. Pal.

*I know how hard it must be...

*To make that choice.

*To go back on everything you've worked up to.

* I want you to know...I won't let it go to waste.

Sans winked, finally relaxed, and held out his arms to Frisk. Chara was flying around them, screaming that it was a trick. That Sans was lying to them. But it wasn't, Frisk knew. Sans would never do that to them.

*C'mere, pal.

Frisk ran to the skeleton, sobs raking their body as they clung to him. And then in happened. Chara was right.

Bones broke through the hall one last time, piercing Frisk. They felt their SOUL weaken, and then shatter slowly, painfully. "S...Sans..." And they were back to the void. Back to LOAD and RESET.

NEW GAME

Frisk collapsed to their knees, trembling as they cried in silence, ignoring Chara's angry yells. He...he tricked them! He tricked them! And now they were here, with that..that thing.

"WELL, IT'S WHAT YOU DESERVED, KID. MAYBE YOU SHOULD JUST DO EVERYONE A FAVOR. START A NEW GAME."

Frisk looked around frantically, trying to find the source of the voice. Their words were slowly sinking in. Of course Sans tricked them. What else was he going to do, after everything they had done to him. But to hit that button...? Something bad was going to happen...They couldn't. They just couldn't.

*geeeeeeetttttttt dunked on!

*If we're really friends...

*You won't come back.

Frisk slowly got to their feet, inching towards the button silently. It seemed to be trembling with each step closer. Finally, they were directly before it, and Frisk raised their hand, placing it on top. Making their decision.

NEW GAME

"Frisk...Frisk...FRISK!"

Frisk sat up in bed, gasping and clutching the covers to their chest as they looked around. They were..in their room. And their older brother Evan was sitting on the bed, brows furrowed in concern. "Hey, hey it's okay. It was just a bad dream."

Just a bad dream.