"Because you want a 'happy ending'."

"Because you 'love your friends'."

"Because you 'never give up'."

Gods, it hurt... All his anger, all his pain, he could feel it in every single attack. Frisk had just been struck down, having just died from being cooked by lightning, only to force himself back to his feet once more. He didn't want to think about the damage to his body, the amount of blood he'd lost, how much pain breathing was. He just had to save his friends, had to save the Underground.

"I can feel it... Every time you die, your grip on this world slips away. Every time you die, your friends forget you a little more. Your life will end here, in a world where no one remembers you..."

Yeah, he could feel it. If not for his DETERMINATION (and perhaps his ability to SAVE himself as well as the world around him), he was pretty sure he'd have forgotten who he was. Even the drop from had knocked him for six, he could barely remember who he was when he woke up! And now, lost in this haze, this whirlwind of darkness, he couldn't afford to lose himself. His friends needed him! They were lost too, shackled to Asriel's power. He hadn't come this far for nothing. He shuffled forward, giving a sharp choked cry of pain as a fireball roasted through his shoulder, and wandered deeper into the endless abyss around him.

Call out to me, Undyne! It's me, come to me!

Just one more. One more soul, one more friend, then Asriel would be powerless! ...Right? That's how it worked? Doubt seeded itself into his mind, worming through his DETERMINATION till it could fester. As he felt his skin char and his life fade away once again, his SOUL abused beyond measure, he simple rose to his feet once more and marched on. If he survived this, if somehow he didn't die after this, he really didn't want to know how he'd be able to live with some a horrifically damaged body.

"Come on... Show me what good your DETERMINATION is now!"

Asriel's screams of rage were becoming more and more erratic. He was no longer mocking him, a deep bass growl of a voice chilling Frisk to the bone, but... Panicking. His voice had become higher in pitch, squeaking at the tip of some sentences, as if he was becoming hysterical. Frisk reached out, crying out for his last friend, before he could feel her presence warm over his own SOUL. All six. All six were finally safe. Only, as tears fell after yet more fire burnt over his skin, Frisk didn't find his own way out of the storm. He couldn't, he didn't know how, DETERMINATION be damned! So felt for another exit, another way out, only to feel something far, far different.

I'm so alone...

The words echoed in the darkness, even through the howling madness of Asriel's taunting. Frisk stumbled toward the words, rewarded with just more agony and more deaths as he did, but never once thought to turn back. There's another... He thought to himself. Another soul here. Another to save. I-I only just noticed now, I couldn't beyond the others, but I can feel it now! He died once more, fire crackling over his face and being swallowed down into his lung, before crawling forward. His skin, after all the attacks, had begun to crack and bleed. Blood was pooling beneath him, trailing behind him, that he now fought against his own body giving in and Asriel's assault.

"Huh? What are you doing...?"

He could feel it! The other soul, so pure and innocent and TERRIFIED! It was there, trembling behind the vortex only he and Asriel occupied. He reached out, forcing himself to his knees, as blood boiled up his throat from his destroyed lungs. "As... A-Asriel..." Every letter, every whisper, simply forced more blood to spit from his mouth. His jaw was a waterfall of crimson, Frisk SHOULD have died from so much damage, so much blood lost... But he refused to. His SOUL no longer broke, no longer reformed. Frisk could no longer die, not when he was DETERMINED to reach Asriel's SOUL. And, lo and behold, that simple act of calling for it had worked.

"Wh... what did you do...?"

Frisk could feel it. Asriel's soul, vibrating beautifully, begging to be touched! He limped, climbing to his knees with gritted teeth, toward the wondrous light he could feel in the darkness.

"What's this feeling...? What's happening to me?"

It was so warm. So inviting. Toriel's kindness, Undyne's confession, Papyrus' worry about Frisk's well-being, it was like all of this and so much more combined! He wanted to show it to everyone, to the world, he wanted to show Asriel his own SOUL simply because he'd never want to let it go!

"No! NO! I don't need ANYONE!"

And that's when the lightning and fire came. It was painful and, gods, did it tear Frisk apart. But not once, never, did he end up on crooked knee. He shuffled on, practically numb to it all, towards that perfect soul he could hear whisper to him in the void. No song could be so angelic, no vista so glorious, nothing could ever compare to what he could see inside of Asriel!

"STOP IT! Get away from me! Do you hear me!? I'll tear you apart!"

The lightning became weaker. The fire burnt dimmer. Frisk, had he not been so overwhelmed by desire to grasp Asriel's SOUL, wouldn't believe how the love and care of his friends had began to heal his body. Cuts sealed shut, burns disappeared, his lungs drew air purely once more, his body slowly began to return back to it's usual self. But he didn't care. He couldn't. He simply walked, arm outstretched, reaching.

I'm so afraid...

"STOP DOING THIS!"

Do you know why I'm doing this...?

Frisk could see him, could see Asriel, and call the fear written across his face. He could see his once SOUL-less eyes filled with panic and terror. He could see his hands crackle with magic, only for it to disappear as quickly as it was summoned. He could see his wings fade, his legs return, and could see the grown man slowly revert back to his adult self.

"JUST LET ME WIN!"

Why I keep fighting to keep you around...?

"STOP IT!"

Frisk reached out with both arms now. Asriel was powerless to prevent them circling his waist.

"PLEASE!"

Oh, Asriel...

I'm doing this...

"STOP IT NOW!"

I wish we could've been friends...

Because...

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[System Error]

has crashed due to an unknown error. Error has been logged.

Retry?

[Yes] [X] [No] [ ]

##################################################################################################################################################
################################[Rebooting]##################################
##################################################################################################################################################

[Files loaded]

[Booting SAVE file]

.

.

.

[Executing]

Asriel groaned, spluttering softly to get dirt from his mouth, as he slowly pulled himself up onto his knees. He brushed himself down, his robes filthy now, as before trying to stand. He wobbled (had the ground always been so far away?) before glancing over to the commotion behind him. Undyne was helping Alphys up, who was blushing furiously but not less grateful for having such a caring girlfriend, while Papyrus' attention darted around the room. He was talking to his brother, Sans, asking how and why they were at the barrier. It didn't make sense yet there they were. Sans, forever the joker, simply told him his latest spaghetti must've made them black out. Papyrus promptly burst into a panic, vowing to never cook spaghetti again... Then quickly changed his mind, vowing to change ingredients instead. Asgore crouched by his ex-wife, offering a hand to her. Toriel simply slapped it away, but muttered a somewhat bitter thanks to the offer. She wasn't going to forgive him anytime soon, but he accepted that at least. But then... Her eyes lifted up, spotting Asriel stood before her.

"As... Asriel?"

Her lip quivered as she dared to take a step forward. Asgore's eyes soon locked onto him as well, the same stunned expression on his face (though with indication he'd start crying). The goat boy shifted, eyes shooting between them, as he raised a brow. They... Knew his name?

"Son? Is it really you?"

Son!? Wait... Something was coming back to him. He was a boy, their boy, and had a sister. Chara, she was adopted and human... But... Something happened... He couldn't remember the rest, something was missing. But, as he tried to ponder on the issue, he soon found four powerful arms crushing him between two bosoms. Toriel and Asgore was hugging him, Asgore circling both in his own hold. His mother, a word that felt so very old to him, was crying into his shoulder. His father, yet another relic word on his tongue and mind, simply smiled warmly. He'd probably cry, he looked like he would, but he was sure gonna fight to stop anyone witnessing it.

"Mum? Dad?"

Their hugs grew tighter as he could, just, see beyond them the sight of the others noticing the LOVE frenzy. "It is you! Oh, Asriel, we thought we'd lost you!" His mother sniffed, tears streaming down her face as she looked into his eyes. "Everything that happened, after Chara... We thought you'd been killed too! O-Or ran away! But look at you... All grown up." She smiled before she sobbed further into his robe, though he didn't mind in the slightest really. Asgore pulled an arm from the two, though that was to briefly rub at the boy's face (which was both embarrassing and annoying).

"Look at you, boy! All that dirt on your face, you look like you're trying to join a tribe!" He huffed, though you could hear his joy crying beneath his breath. As much as Asriel protested, his father refused to stop till he'd wiped his face clean. Though he'd not been able to see, his Asgore had brushed off dirt clinging to his cheeks and eyes. Now, his face and fuzz was as pure white as his parents'. While the others watched, all with warmed hearts from such a touching scene, the hugs soon stopped. Toriel turned to the others, Asgore along with her, declaring their son's return proudly (and with Toriel nearly bursting into tears again. She may be a tough cookie but, boy, was her heart more than full with emotion). While they were all confused as to why they were there, those questions quickly disappeared with this announcement.

"We should celebrate! I say 'BRING ON THE SPAGHETTI!' I'll cook!" Papyrus had been the first to speak up. Naturally, everyone wanted nothing to do with his cooking. They didn't put it so bluntly (well, most of them. Sans had cracked a joke about it and Undyne simply told him it sucked), but Toriel thankfully suggested that a Butterscotch-Cinnamon pie would be more fitting for a celebration. Majority ruled, Papyrus sulking ever so slightly, and they began to make their way back into the Underground together, chatting all the way.

...All but Asriel, of course.

He rubbed a hand over his brow, his mind aching from trying to think of what he was forgetting. Glancing back, however, left him frozen in place. His eyes were wide, his jaw slack, as he watched. He watched as a young boy, a young HUMAN boy, waved to him.

He watched as the boy walked toward the Barrier.

He watched the boy slowly fade away.

He watched as he took the Barrier with him.

I remember now.

I remember you.

He smiled to himself, turning away to catch up with the others. The news about the Barrier could wait till tomorrow.

I'll never forget you.

Frisk.

Do you know why I did this...?

Why I fought to keep you around...?

I'm did this...

Because...

Behind them all, as they headed away to feast and laugh and celebrate together, a small Golden Flower swayed gently as a breeze wafted through the exit to the surface. It would never wilt, never lose its petals, could never be plucked. The flower, surrounded by nothing, would stand for all of time.

Because you're all so special to me...

Even you...

Asriel.

For those of you that didn't get the ending, though I'd like to think it's pretty blunt, Frisk swaps places with Asriel. He disappears from the memory of everyone, except Asriel, but doesn't come back as a flower. His 'death' gives Asriel life. His parents act like they do because he'd already died before, only (I'm hoping I got this right) monsters melt so they never had a body to bury. To this end, they simply believe he's been alive all along, just missing. As for the last parts: 1) Frisk's soul, along with the other 6, resulted in the Barrier's end. 2) Frisk fades because his soul no longer exists. His soul is now Asriel's. 3) The flower is not Frisk. This is what became of Asriel's former body as a by-product of Frisk's actions. However, the flower does have his DETERMINATION. 4) Asriel's soul was speaking BEFORE the 'crash'. After, i.e. the changed dialogue near the end, is Frisk's farewell.

Hopefully that cleared up the ending for you! Hope you've all enjoyed this and remember to always be kind to monsters that don't try rip your face off! R&R and ta-tah!