Chapter 2
When I wake up I'm swaddled in a warm blanket laying on a large bed. I struggle out of the wrapping, noticing that the swaddling was extremely effective for keeping me trapped. I kick my feet, feeling infantile. Wiggling, I finally manage to free one arm and pull the blanket off me.
Once I am finally free I look around. The bed is nice but very high off the ground. Taking a deep breath I sit on the edge and carefully slide off. The wooden floor is cool against my socks... someone had taken my shoes off I notice. I try to keep calm despite the panic growing within me. I can't deal with the possibility that I actually saw Asriel Dreemurr, goat prince of the underground, and future psychotic plant because firstly, that meant I was in Undertale and the story was real. Secondly, that would mean I had somehow replaced or became Chara, the main villain for the entire story. And three, that meant that my life was guaranteed to never be the same.
I try to distract myself, turning my thoughts away from the panic bubbling within me and push the door of the room open.
The hallway is colored a cheery yellow with a few plants sticking out of tall vases. I feel so ridiculously short, how tall am I anyway? There is no way to tell. Dozens of others questions run through my head. How old am I? What do I look like? am I really in Undertale?
Taking a deep breath I move down the hallway, only stopping when I hear voices.
"Gory, it's just a child. Human or not, they're innocent in all of this." A female voice says. Could that be Toriel? Just thinking about that sends panic bubbling through me again. I close my eyes and take a few deep breaths. I'll deal with the goat problem later, right now I need to find out if this is real.
"I know, Tori... I... For me, it wasn't that long ago that the war..." The male voice which thrummed deep in his chest seemed to falter. He said Tori, dear- no I'm not going to think about that. Not yet. Instead, I push my mind in another direction, towards the war between humans and monsters. I find myself wondering if human's even remembered the war in this world. There was no guarantee one way or another.
"What would you do if it was Asriel who was trapped on the other side of the barrier?" Tori's voice asked as I peered around the corner of the hallway. There was an entrance way, with my shoes placed neatly to the side, and a staircase in the back. On the far side of the entrance way, I could see the opening to the living room and just make out a piece of purple fabric-
"Howdy!"
I scream like a stuck pig and fly into the air. There were two cries of surprise, one from the being behind me and another from the room I had been looking at.
I landed facing the opposite direction I had been standing, and my feet slipped out from under me. I try to regain my balance but it is far too late for any action to stop my fall.
Before my head could hit the floor a pair of soft fluffy hands caught me.
"Are you alright my child?" The soft feminine voice asked. Toriel. The woman is exactly how I imagined her. Soft white fur, warm gold eyes, and a familiar purple dress, she's quite chubby, although it is impossible to tell if that is from the fur or actual fat. Somehow, looking up at her like this, I can't bring myself to panic. Instead, a strange sense of tranquility that seems to permeate the very air around her. She smells warm, like freshly baked bread and I instantly trust her.
"You're tall," I said. Mentally I slapped myself. The first time I see her that was what I say? You're tall? You idiot! What sort of introduction was that? Though, it was true. Toriel is ridiculously tall, even without my sudden decrease in age she would have towered over me. The woman had to be six foot something... it was hard to tell since my sense of size was so radically skewed currently.
Toriel gently set me back on my feet, smiling warmly. Looking past her I saw Asgore stop behind her and was looking at me with soft, curious eyes. He is even taller than Toriel, probably seven feet or so, it's hard to tell.
"Well, that was not the introduction that I planned," Toriel chuckles, bringing my attention back to her.
"My name is Toriel, this is my husband, Asgore. I believe you already met Asriel," she continues. There is a twinkle in her eye, I can tell that she has a good sense of humor, even if I didn't know about all those puns.
I turn away to look at the kid standing behind me. He doesn't look any different from yesterday. Wide eyes, tiny fangs, and the most adorable cowlick I have ever seen. He waves shyly at me. I falter. What am I supposed to do?
"Hi?" I return, glancing over my shoulder at the adult monsters standing behind me. Apparently that was all I needed to say because Asriel's face lights up and he pranced towards me, grinning.
"So you're a human? Cool, what's it like above? Mom and Dad won't tell me!" He is such a bundle of energy I can't help but laugh.
"Okay, um... my name's-" I falter should I tell them my real name? The decision is taken from my hands by an over exuberant Asriel.
"Chara right? I remember you said that yesterday," he's grinning, oh so proud that he remembered my name I just can't say no.
"...Yeah... I'm Chara," I agree, a feeling of dread settling in my stomach at those words.
"Asriel, how about you help me make some pie. We'll leave your father with... Chara. Alright?" Toriel cuts in, her expression is strange, one that I don't recognize. Despite the worry that runs through me at her words, I'm relieved. I understand that Asriel is excited but I am still trying to wrap my head around the fact that all of this is real. That I'm actually in Undertale.
"Hu- Chara. May you come over here for a moment?" Asgore was smiling at me. It wasn't a nice smile, it was a brittle one, the sort of smile that was faked so create ease, but only put the one receiving it on their guard. I nodded, trying to not show how much this was making me nervous.
Asgore was nothing but gentle as he guided me somewhere a bit more private for our talk but I couldn't help but keep thinking about the humans who he had killed. Six humans, as much as everyone and even I, adored him I couldn't deny the fact that he had killed six human kids.
He sits down deeper in the hallway, close to the room I had been in earlier and places his back against the wall. Cautiously I sit down on the wall opposite from him, watching the huge man warily.
"Do you have any questions for me?" He asks softly. He is such a good-natured person I realize as I manage a small smile.
Would a good natured person kill six kids?
I force the thought aside, shuddering internally.
"I... I don't think so," I admit. What am I supposed to ask him? How to go home? I already know the answer to that. Any question that he could answer I know the answer to. It's the ones he would have no idea how to answer that I need. Like why have I replaced Chara, how is Undertale real, and is there any way for me to go back to my old life?
Asgore watched me, confusion knotting his brow.
"Not even if you can go home?"
Why would I want to go home?
"N...no sir," what is going on with me? Could... could the real Chara still be here? No, that couldn't be it, I had replaced her... Right?
"Perhaps that is for the best," Asgore muttered to himself before standing.
"Well, you are welcome to stay in our home until you are old enough or find somewhere else to stay. Come, Toriel is working on making a wonderful pie and I'm sure that you will enjoy it. She is a wonderful cook," a dreamy expression crosses Asgore's face and I find myself wondering if he is thinking about the cooking, or Toriel herself.
Asgore walks away and I follow slowly. I stop in the living room which I also realize is their dining room as well. I look around before carefully walking to the bookshelf. There are so many books that I could read, the shelf is so much taller than I am. I can only reach the fourth shelf, the fifth if I strain.
I glance at the kitchen where the happy family is and quietly take out a book. It is a child's picture book but it's about the underground. I smile as I see several pictures of monsters as I flip through.
"That's one of my favorites," Asriel says, I look up, surprised to see him standing in the living room. I force a smile and pat a spot beside me. While he reads the story to me I try to think. Not even two days ago I was a college kid, and now, I'm a child again in a world that I thought was a video game.
"How old are you?" I ask Asriel suddenly, surprising the kid. He blinks then gives me the biggest grin I have seen in a while.
"I'm nearly fifteen!" He declares excitedly. I stare at him. I had been expecting ages between seven and ten, not that. Do monsters age slower than humans? Or do just boss monsters? I scrambled to try to wrap my head around it. Asriel, seeming to sense my confusion tilts his head to the side.
"How old are you?"
"Do... do you have a bathroom?" I ask, barely paying attention to him. Asriel sends me a strange look.
"Uh, yeah, just down the hall, on the right across from my room-"
"Thanks," I say, standing and bolting towards the place he mentioned.
Once in the bathroom I shut the door and flick the lock. Backing away I stare at my hands. They're shaking violently. I'm such a baby but I'm also terrified out of my mind. There was just far too much to take into consideration.
I sit down, staring at my shaking hands, trying to organize my thoughts.
So pathetic
I jump, looking around in a panic. No one is nearby. I take a deep breath and stand. I notice a stool next to the sink. It's about time I get a good look at myself, I decide, standing and pushing the stool into place. I step onto it with ease and turn to look at myself in the mirror.
Chara's reflection stares back at me.
The hair light brown and chopped in a bob but the cut is untidy like someone pulled the hair into a ponytail and just cut it from there. The face is round and pale, almost unnaturally so, but with a natural blush across the cheeks. The eyes are dark brown. The ears and nose are small and the lips are thin. I smile. The appearance seems pleasant enough. I glance at the door, double checking that it is locked before I undress.
Unlike my face, my body is a mess.
The sweater was doing a good job of hiding my body odor but I have a strong scent. When I press my nose to the cloth I can make out the strong scent of cigarette smoke and another strong scent... alcohol of some sort. That isn't what worries me, though, it's the scars.
My, the body I'm inhabiting, or is it Chara's? Either way, the arms are covered in alarming circular burn scars. I recognize them as burn scars as when I was younger a spark landed on me at camp, burnt a hole right through my pant leg and left a small burn scar on my thigh.
I don't even have to pair the smell of cigarette smoke to the burns to know what caused them. There are also clear bruises, some I assume came from the fall, but others are older. Yellow, green and black bruises pepper the body, and there is an alarmingly large hand-shape bruise on one shoulder- the tips of the fingers are green.
I had realized I was sore but I had thought it had come from the fall.
Only now do I realize that Chara's opinion of humanity had to have come from somewhere. I feel sick, this kid has to be about nine years old, is already treated so horribly. What's worse, is how expertly hidden they are. Not one scar or bruise is placed where it could be visibly seen by any sort of regular, long sleeved outfits. I'm shaking again, but this time for a different reason. Rage. Anger courses through me. Someone hurt this little girl, intentionally and multiple times. I stand there, naked on a stool in front of the bathroom mirror and all I can feel is rage.
A knock interrupts my thoughts.
"Ch... Chara? If you're... um, done... the pie is done..." Asriel again. Poor baby. I stare at the body and shake my head. He can't know about this, I can't just tell them. Besides, what would it do? They can't get up there and neither can I. It's not like Chara's tormentors are going to go walking up the mountain. Even if they did, the chances of them managing to make it to the underground are zero.
"I'm coming," I call back to Asriel, quickly pulling my t-shirt and sweater back on, quickly washed my hands with the bar of soap sitting by the sink, and scrambled down.
Exiting the bathroom I hurried back into the living room/dining room where Toriel, Asgore, and Asriel were all waiting.
A part of me wondered if Toriel and Asgore realized that they had literally named their child their couples name. Probably not, I decided as I clambered into the empty chair.
A small slice of apple pie was placed in front of me, apple. My mouth began to salivate in response to the familiar smell and at the same time, two shots of pain rushed through me.
It's just like my mom's apple pie at Thanksgiving.
I've never had pie before.
That voice again. I stared at the pie, trying to figure it out. Could that voice be the real Chara? I wasn't sure what I'd rather believe at this point.
"My child? Are you alright? Oh! You don't have any allergies do you?" I shook my head.
"I've... I've never had pie before," I said.
For some strange reason, it didn't feel like a lie.
A/N: So I was inspired to continue this story. Thank you to everyone who supported, reviewed, followed or favourited this story. Let me know what you thought of this new chapter.
Princess Kassie Out
