DELTARUNE: A TALE OF THREE HEROES

CHAPTER I: THE VOICE THAT CAME FROM FAR FAR AWAY

"Kris…" Susie spoke, not facing the young boy who was standing behind her.

Kris felt a chill running down his spine. Sure, during their short time in the Darkworld, he got to see Susie's friendlier side, but still, Susie was Susie, and he had no idea what she was going to say. The purple monster turned around and laid one of her large hands onto Kris's shoulder. Although her grip wasn't harsh like when she threw him against the lockers hours before, it was gentle, warm, friendly.

"Let's go back there tomorrow okay?" Susie asked.

Kris's expression turned into one of surprise seeing the look Susie gave him. It was shy and… hopeful. He liked this side of her, it was more… real. Kris gave her a small nod alongside a smile, then, she walked away.

As he was going to exit the school, his phone rang.

"Kris?! Whatever have you being doing?! I sat in the car waiting for you after school for half an hour! I called and called and you never picked up! You had your mother worried sick!" Toriel said, her tone relieved and slightly shrill. Then… her voice became colder, more severe. Kris knew what was coming. "Kris… I'm afraid I'm going to have to punish you."

Kris intervened, maybe telling her the truth would change her mind, after all, it wasn't like he used this excuse before… it wasn't like… he spent time with other people before… it wasn't like he had friends before.

"Huh? A friend? You were spending time with… a friend?" Toriel's voice became softer. "I'll make an exception this time, you can continue your adventures a little longer… but when you return home… you're going to have to go to bed early."

Well, Kris could definitely live with that.

On the way home he was met with the usual kind of glares people always gave him. Some curios, some distrustful, he didn't mind though. It was unheard of that a human would willingly live amongst monsters. Not that they would harm anyone, but the stories of monsters being able to do what humans couldn't, magics, and the unique and terrifying ability to absorb human's souls, made so that no human would ever want to visit their cities. Tori- his mom always read him stories when he was little, stories about humans and monsters fearing each other, and the one time that the two races were on the brink of a war. But, somehow, the humans and the monsters managed to understand each other before it was too late. Monsters understood how fear always drove humans to destruction, theirs or of others, and humans understood that monsters were very much different from them, that at the core of their souls there were kindness and compassion, not greed and hate. There was a peace contract, the monsters would be free to live where they wanted, but sadly, once they decided where to build their cities, not even a single human ever visited. Well, except for one.

Monsters, Kris realized during his time in the city, were very different from humans. Most of them liked Kris. As he was making his way to the top of the town he stopped to chat with a few of them. He stopped by the hospital where he met Noelle and his dad. Apparently they were talking about someone Noelle wanted to talk to, or maybe confess to? By the tone and the words she used, it certainly sounded like she was planning to do so. When she left he chatted a bit with Noelle's father. Kris immediately understood why he and his dad were buddies. Both men had this kind look in their eyes that cheerful behavior. How could they maintain those in times like these, Kris couldn't understand. When he left he stopped by Noelle's house, she looked a little bit lost, and remembering her father's words, 'keep an eye out for her, okay?' he decided to see if everything was alright. It turned out she had simply forgotten the keys. Couldn't she like, ask to her mom to give her hers? Apparently she didn't like to be disturbed during work, even if it was by her own daughter. 'She deserves a better mother' the thought passed quickly through Kris's mind. He shook his head and looked at Noelle's confused and slightly worried face.

"Is everything alright Kris?" Noelle asked.

Kris simply nodded before Noelle spoke again.

"So… ehm… c-could you answer my question?" Noelle said, averting Kris' gaze, her cheeks slightly red.

Kris titled his head, he didn't hear her. Noelle cleared her throat before asking again.

"Ehm… how was Susie? I-I mean, could you tell me something about her? I'm… I'm kind of curious about her…" Noelle stuttered, her eyes on the ground.

Kris remained silent for some moments, if nothing had happened inside that strange closet, then he would have answered that Susie was absolutely terrible, a bully that enjoyed scaring smaller kids, actually all the kids since she was the biggest one around. But after the time they spent together in the Dark World, Kris realized that Susie was actually a nice person. When you're alone it's hard not to show your worst, but thanks to him, Ralsei and Lancer they were able to bring out her best side.

"She's a nice person." Kris answered.

"What? She's… she's a nice person? Like… really? Honestly? Truly?! Then… then I think I could go t-talking to her!"

Kris smiled at her encouragingly, now realizing who she was talking about with her dad.

After saying goodbye, the young boy hummed to himself as he reached his house's driveway. Tori- his mom always read him stories when he was little, stories about humans and monsters fearing each other, and the one time that the two races were on the brink of a war. But, somehow, the humans and the monsters managed to understand each other before it was too late. Monsters understood how fear always drove humans to destruction, theirs or of others, and humans understood that monsters were very much different from them, that at the core of their souls there were kindness and compassion, not greed and hate. There was a peace contract, the monsters would be free to live where they wanted, but sadly, once they decided where to build their cities, not even a single human ever visited. Well, except for one.

Kris opened the door and stepped inside the house. Toriel greeted him with a warm smile. It felt good, to see a person smile at him genuinely, to see and feel the love in his mother's gaze. Sometimes, he still felt like he didn't deserve that kind of love, but… that wasn't his fault, he knew it, and he knew who was to blame for those horrible thoughts. Shaking his head, Kris hugged Toriel, who, even if a little surprised, returned the hug just a moment later.

After he wished her a goodnight, Kris went to his room. There wasn't much left to do, and with Susie's words still fresh in his mind, 'let's go back there tomorrow okay?', he really just wished he would fall asleep quickly, so that tomorrow may have come as soon as possible. And Kris did fall asleep almost immediately, the stress and the fatigue of his journey getting to him as soon as he went under the covers… but… when he opened his eyes… it wasn't morning… it was still dark… and when he tried to move… he found himself paralyzed. Kris could only move his eyes as his body began to move on its own. He fell down to the ground and stood up. Kris tried to resist, he tried to climb back into his bed, but his body kept moving, limping towards the center of his room. Kris's body raised a hand in front of his face.

'W-what is h-happenin-' Kris thought was interrupted by his own hand plunging into his chest.

It was the most painful experience of all his life. He tried to scream, but no sound came from his mouth. After a few moments, his hand ripped something from his chest. It was red, shaped like a heart and when he saw his own body throw it in the little cage at the feet of his bed, he felt like all the control he had over his body, was gone. He saw with the corner of his eye that a long knife was now in his hand, its blade shining in the moonlight that passed through the window.

"That was easier than I thought."

Kris froze, as the voice broke the suffocating silence. It sounded like his own but… colder…

'W-who are you...' Kris tried to speak, but he couldn't, not anymore and yet, to his surprise, he felt his lips turn upwards and a giggle that sent chills running down his spine left his own mouth.

"Greetings…

my name…

is Chara…"

'C-chara? W-what do you want?' Kris asked, his question was met with yet another cruel laugh.

"To show to this pathetic world the real meaning of life… just like I did with the previous one."