Ending the Cycle
Chapter 1: A Chance for Change
Disclaimer: I do not own Undertale or its characters.
Authors note: This story will have spoilers, but it also has my own twist on the events of the game.
He was tired... So very tired... He had dwelled in this realm of nothing that was connected to everything for such a very long time... So long that he had forgotten how long he had actually been there... And he was so very tired... Of everything... What he was most tired of was witnessing the countless genocide timelines... He wanted it to stop... To see an end to all the death... So he decided to end the cycle himself...
Focusing on the untold amount of timelines surrounding him, he searched for one with which he could enter. One which the void's hold was weakest, he was looking for an escape route. After scouring through countless timelines he found what he was looking for, a weak point. And after a quick survey, he determined that the current events of this timeline were taking place in what he had dubbed 'the judgment hall'.
Accessing the current events of the timeline, he watched for a moment as an all-too-familiar skeleton with a blue hoodie fought against an all-too-familiar child covered in dust. The events of this world were further along than he would've liked but if all went as planned then he should be able to reset it.
Taking but a moment to double check the weakness of the void on this timeline to make sure it was lax enough, he made his move.
Sans fought with everything he could, with everything he had... But he had pretty much reached his limits and he knew it. Fighting to keep his eyes open, he didn't initially notice anything was amiss. The sound of movement caused him to snap his eyes open, having not realized they had closed. However, what ever he expected to see was not what was happening before him and he couldn't help but stare in shocked silence for a moment.
The child's weapon arm had been stopped mid-swing, held in place by a bony hand with a hole in the palm. And standing just behind the child was a warped and melted black form with an equally as warped skull like head. The pinpricks of light in it's sockets were ablaze of a brilliant purple that focused solely upon the small murderer struggling within his grip.
"g-gaster... is that... t-that really you...?" Finally came the voice of Sans, a mix of emotions in his tone.
Blazing purple eyes shifted toward him momentarily before turning to the child. "Time... And time again..." He spoke but in a different language, although somehow seemed to still be understood by those present. "I watched as time and time again... Everyone would die... Die by your hands... And for what reason? For power...? For revenge...? Just because you could? I've seen it all across multiple timelines... And I am sick of it..." Gaster's slightly distorted voice simply sounded tired in the beginning before dipping into a venomous tone at the end...
His other hand came forward and forced the dust covered child to turn around to face him, grabbing their chin right after. "But worry not child... It is not you who I speak to... But the soulless malevolent spirit that possesses you..." The human's emotionless expression seemed to falter at this, if only slightly. But it did not escape the former scientist's noticed. "That is right... I can see you in there... Did you not know that one lost soul can easily spot another? You foolis-"
Gaster's sentence cut off abruptly as the possessed child yanked their weapon free and took a swing at him. Vaguely he thought he heard Sans yell his name, but it was unnecessary as the knife passed through him as if he wasn't even there. This seemed to cause the malevolence spirit to pause in obvious uncertainty. That hesitation was enough for the former scientist make his next move...
Once again grabbing hold of the spirit controlled human, but this time with more than just his hands. The black substance that was his very body began to wrap around the child, slowly dragging them in.
"gaster! w-what the hell you doing?!" This time he finally focused upon Sans and kept his gaze there, the purple fading away to soft white pinpricks of light.
"I am bringing an end to all of this... I will take this child's soul and absorb it... Before they have a chance to reset, before they have a chance to do this all over again... I will be the one to RESET this time... To bring an end to this monotonous cycle of kill or be killed..." These words caused the possessed murderer to struggle much more aggressively than they were moments ago but he paid it no mind.
"but...?! what will that do to you?!" There was a scared almost desperate tone to his voice that brought an aching sensation to Gaster's lost soul.
"I do not know..." He answered truthfully, having no desire to sugarcoat the situation despite the distraught expression on the younger skeleton's face. "But as long as it ensures Papyrus' and your own safety, then that is all that matters to me... I am sorry our reunion had to be like this..."
Turning his focus back to the struggling murderer, his eye sockets lit up anew with purple flaming points of light. "But there is no time to discuss alternatives..." As soon as those words left his mouth, Gaster plunged his hand into the child's chest and grabbed hold of their soul.
He could feel as the malevolent spirit tried to refuse him but at the same time he could feel the child desperately trying to accept him, as if they wanted him to help. And that was what he reached for with all his might, even as he felt his form begin to 'glitch out'; as he would commonly call it.
And then, Gaster could see it... A literal floating button with the word reset in his minds eye. He reached out for it, physically and mentally, his sole focus on putting an end to all of it. He didn't even hear Sans call for him again, didn't even see as the other skeleton continuously stumble and fell in order to try to get to him. His mind was to focus on reaching that button while simultaneously trying to push the malevolent spirit out.
And then...
It all faded to white...
A light grown escaped from him as Gaster slowly regain consciousness. And for a time he simply laid there without moving or opening his eyes. He felt sore all over and he also felt extremely off but he couldn't place his finger on it. Finally, he began to register the sounds around him. Birds chirping somewhere far off, a light breeze that sound like it was flowing through a cave, and the occasional sound of a falling pebble.
Then he realized he felt the warmth of sunlight upon his face and finally decided to open his eyes. Only to quickly wince as he was partly blinded by sunlight shining in from above. But wait... He had been in the 'judgment hall' and there were no windows in the ceiling. Finally pulling himself up into a sitting position, Gaster lifted a hand to rubbed his head only to freeze as upon realizing that he felt hair.
Slowly lowering his shaking hand, the former scientist stared in stunned silence as he saw not his hand but the hand of a human; of a child. Quickly he began to check himself over and immediately realized he recognized this body... It was the human child's very own, it seemed he was now the one possessing the poor thing. Abruptly he felt something shift in the back of his mind and as he focused upon it, it seemed to curl in upon itself.
Oh... It was the child... The true owner of this form... Frisk... The name floated to him through the mental link they now share, most likely a result of his current possession of the child's body. He could feel the guilt and depression coming off of Frisk in waves. The poor thing regretted what happened deeply but Gaster could also fill a hint of relief from the child. Most likely glad that they were no longer possessed by that other spirit and instead by one who seemed to want to do right.
Before he could even begin to think about comforting Frisk, the sound of creepy laughter reached his ears. In an instant he was on his feet, Frisk's, feet and looking around the small chamber. "Hahaha... Well played Doctor..." Came an eerie and haunting voice that was filled with malevolence and mock humor. "Out of all the possible outcomes, the last thing I expected was for you to interfere... Let alone possess Frisk yourself! Well played indeed... But I am far from done with Frisk or you for that matter. Stay on your guard Doctor... HEHEHEH..." The eerie giggling continued on for another moment before fading into silence.
"Damnable soulless child..." Muttered Gaster before letting out a heavy sigh, once again looking at his 'borrowed' hands. He could feel that his host was now fearful on top of everything else. "Do not listen to them Frisk... They are simply trying to get to you with their words, and to me. But we will make this right, I promise. I know you do not really know me, but trust me. I have a lot invested in making this right..." He could feel Frisk calming some within his mind, but the child continued to remain silent, so he decided to leave the poor thing alone for now.
Taking a deep breath and letting out a heavy sigh, Gaster shifted his gaze to the only accessible door with a small frown. He had theorized, had hoped, that him forcing the reset this time like this would free the human from being possessed. However, he found himself being the one to possess Frisk instead. Was this truly a better outcome? He wasn't sure, these were all new variables to him. But this now meant that he could have a direct effect on this timeline, give everyone the happy ending they truly deserved. He had seen so many timelines, so many alternate realities, but only a handful of them were actually good. However, that didn't mean he didn't know what needed to be done.
Finally dropping his, Frisk's, hands to his side, Gaster strolled towards the next chamber with purpose. He would do his best to bring an end to the cycle...
And that's it for this chapter, I hope you guys enjoyed the beginning of Ending the Cycle. Chapter two and three are pretty much done, just need to proofread them again, but I'm going to wait to put them up to see how well this chapter is received. So let me know what you guys think.
On a different note, I wish I was better at drawing than I am otherwise I'd make this into a comic. As the story progresses, I can see a ghostly image of Gaster and Frisk behind their shared body when they have their mental interactions. Or even just Gaster's internal expression in regards to something that he has to appear neutral to. XD
Anyway, once again let me know what you guys think. Until next time. R&R.