Authors Note- This story was inspired by potoobrigham's Childhood comic series.
The sensation of taking a soul was… not what he had expected. He'd expected it to feel warm and fuzzy, to feel like what he imagined the sun could bring, or the feeling of a warm hug. Instead… he felt… numb. His being felt heavy and cold, even though their bedroom was as warm as it always was.
Is it supposed to feel like this? Asriel asked, then blinked when he realized his mouth didn't open when he spoke… and when he saw himself standing and flexing his fingers and stretching… he felt it, but he knew he wasn't doing it.
Mhm… an interesting feeling, being inside you like this. Chara responded after a moment, before saying aloud "No idea. I think we might be the first to do this in a long… long time… far too long."
Okay then… uh, why can't I move my arms?
They blinked a bit, then Chara hummed a bit, before saying Try moving both your arms.
Asriel tried, but only his left arm moved the way he wanted to. Mhm… interesting… I think I get it… we're… sharing this body… I think my Determination gives me more of the control though…
Asriel shuddered and hugged himself… or at least, he did in his mind. T-That's kind of scary… t-this is still my body after all.
Chara chuckled a bit… though there was something… off about it. If it were the other way around, I'd probably feel the same… but don't worry brother… we're going to change the world… make it a… better place…
Even though he felt himself smiling, that cold, numb feeling wasn't leaving Asriel. A part of his brain tried to whisper a warning to him, trying to connect the dots… but Asriel banished such thoughts before they could fully manifest.
I can't doubt Chara… he's my best friend… my brother. This will work… we'll free everyone, show the humans… that Monsters and Humans can be friends. Can be family even.
Chara chuckled again, nodding his head as he murmured "Yes brother… we'll show them."
The oppressive, cold feeling seemed to swell briefly before subsiding. They turned and moved towards the bed where Chara's body remained. The body was still warm… and… Asriel could swear he felt the faintest of movement from it…
C-Chara… is… is your body still alive? Asriel asked, shuddering at the thought as Chara picked it up. Chara didn't answer immediately, instead turning and heading out the door and towards the throne room… and the path to the barrier.
It won't be for long… and it's just a shell now.
Asriel went quiet at that, not sure how to respond to it. It wasn't what he'd expected his friend to say… however, it did give voice in his head the chance to whisper again. This time, he wasn't able to brush it aside as it asked him why they needed his body… Chara was a part of them now after all, and in control… he could just walk them out to his village to see the Flowers…
Maybe… Maybe he just wants to put his body there for… sentimental reasons? He thought, and this time he kept the thought to himself… or at least tried to. He wasn't sure if Chara heard… Chara's focus seemed laser focused on the path ahead of them.
It didn't take long to reach the barrier… it was a short walk after all. Benefit of having their home basically built right next to it. They paused at the threshold… Asriel sensing a brief hesitation in his brother.
S-Scared? He asked, to which Chara simply shook his head.
Worried it might not work. Only one way to find out though.
Walking into the barrier, Asriel wasn't sure what to expect. He could sense that Chara expected it to be like walking into a wall, or trying to walk through water… but with their souls united… it was just like walking from one room to the next… only, the room on the other side was a grassy cliff looking over a village in the distance. A bright blue sky stretching across the horizon, filled only with a few clouds and a big bright golden orb…
What in the Underground is that!? My eyes hurt just looking near it!
Even Chara had to shield their eyes for a moment… but only a moment. It's the sun you big dork… you know, the thing your mother's science books talk about? And your not supposed to look at it anyways… besides, there's something far more interesting down that way.
Asriel could feel Chara briefly relaxing some of his hold so Asriel could look down… in the distance, he spotted a small town. A human town.
Asriel smiled a bit at the sight of the quaint little town… it kind of reminded him of Snowdin, only less snowy. "So is that where your from? It looks like a nice place, mayb-"
That oppressive feeling came back in force, but this time, there wasn't cold… it was… heat. Like a fire had been lit all around him. He could feel them moving again, long, determined strides that made the ground shake just a bit.
"Yes… it's where I come from. And it's where the next step of our plan begins…"
The way Chara said that made the seed of doubt within him grow a bit… his voice seemed to drip venom, yet he could feel his muzzle spread in a smile as a dark joy began to swell within his brother. It wasn't a smile that engendered happy feelings inside the monster.
Hesitantly, he asked S-So what's the next step then Chara?
Chara's smile widened. "We'll go to my hometown… place my body in the golden flowers of the fountain… then we'll show them all the GOD like powers we can have… when man and monster join together in peace and friendship…and kill them all!"
For a brief moment, Asriel's doubt had been ready to wither away… but that feeling, that voice in the back of his mind seemed to know what was coming. Even so… he was not prepared for what Chara, his brother, his best friend, had said.
W-What?! Asriel screamed as they drew closer to the town. He could see a few humans going about their daily business as the sun slowly began its descent towards the horizon. With each step, Asriel could feel the fire in their joined soul growing… fires of rage, of anger…
Of Hate…
C-Chara… we only need six human souls… you… you said we'd only get them from bad humans! Why did you say all like that!?
Chara just chuckled a bit as he stood straighter, noticing that some of the humans were starting to spot him. You only need six to destroy the barrier true, but you see, the thing is… humans are bad. Violent. Ruthless. Afraid of what they can't understand or control… they are a disease. Monsters though… Monsters aren't like them… Monsters deserve this world more than humans do.
Asriel could see the humans reacting as well… he could also hear their shouts and cries. They were indeed afraid… but Asriel didn't think it was for the reasons Chara was saying. It finally began to click in his mind as they drew near the fountain Chara had spoken of.
What are you planning Chara?
Chara laughed, the sound hollow, empty. I'm going to give a demonstration of our power… attract attention… make a statement…
They were setting Chara's body in the flower bed in the fountain… Asriel could hear the worried and fearful screams of many of the humans… he heard a clacking sound as someone shouted,
"I don't know what you're doing with that child… but you best back away before anyone else gets hurt!"
Asriel could hear the fear in the man's voice… but his mind was more focused on the words the man had said. It was a threat… but it wasn't an aggressive one. There was a chance for things to end peacefu-
"This is exactly what I was saying… always quick to ATTACK, to FIGHT!"
Time seemed to slow then as Asriel felt the deep seated hatred that was rooted in Chara's soul… there was not even a flicker of love that Asriel could see, no compassion, no empathy.
Within that dark void, Asriel could feel Chara's intent. It was loud and clear… with this newfound power, if given the chance, Chara would massacre every single person in this town… men, women, children, old and young… he would kill them all, and only grow stronger as he stole their souls…
Asriel realized he had a choice to make… the only question was when he would make it. His instincts told him that he'd only have one chance to do it right… one chance to make sure no one got hurt…
Suddenly, he felt a strange feeling welling up within him. It wasn't coming from Chara or his soul… it was coming from… well, he wasn't sure where, but it was welling up in his soul. A powerful feeling that steeled his courage, that gave him the strength… that gave him…
… DETERMINATION.
Suddenly, he could feel all of his body again. The distant, detached feeling as he rode passenger in his own body was gone. He was in control. And he knew what he had to do.
"Your wrong Chara… and… and I won't let you do this…" He said aloud, sensing Chara's surprise as he heard the human behind him stop. "If I'd known… if I'd known this was your plan all along…"
What are you doing!? Let me show them just what a Monster can do!
Asriel shook his head. "No… I can feel your intent… you want a fight… you want to kill. You didn't want to teach the humans love…"
Asriel felt himself lose control of his mouth for a moment as Chara's soul flared with rage. "LOVE comes from RESPECT, and RESPECT comes from FEAR Asriel! And I will show them why we should be feared!"
Asriel shook… he could feel Chara fighting him… and Chara's determination… it was giving him more strength… Asriel would lose this battle… unless…
If Asriel had had more time… he might have tried something else. He might have tried to do something to subdue Chara… but with the lives of an entire town… and who knew how many others at stake… Asriel did the first thing he could think of.
"No… NOOOO!"
His hands shot to his chest, and using his magic, he reached in… he took hold of Chara's soul, took hold of that pit of hatred and vile poisonous rage…
And he expelled it.
He watched as the red heart leapt from his chest and flew back into its body… as he did so, he felt the struggle for control fading, but he also felt himself thrown back a bit as their combined form quickly faded.
His whole body felt tingly and strange as he felt the determination within him ebbing just a bit, but still there… he could hear the gasps of surprise and confusion from the humans as they tried to make sense of what they witnessed.
With a groan, Asriel sat up and rubbed at his head, opening his eyes to see the human who'd made the threat. He eeped, his eyes shrinking as he saw the gun he was holding… though it wasn't aimed at him. The man was giving him a confused look, before his and Asriel's attention was drawn back to Chara.
Chara was struggling to sit up, on his sides and his bangs were hiding much of his face at the moment. He was panting, his body struggling with the effects of regaining a soul and the buttercup poisoning he was still suffering from.
"You…" He sputtered, venom dripping from his words. Asriel gulped but steeled his resolve again, glaring at his friend. That didn't stop his voice from stuttering a it as he said,
"Y-You can't hurt anyone now Chara…"
That seemed to give his brother renewed strength… because he jerked his head up, his face twisted into a visage of hate as his crimson eyes practically glowed with rage.
"You… You… You IDIOT!"