Chapter 3: A Moment of Truth, a Test of Faith
(Author's spoiler: this chapter has an F-bomb and other foul language, and it gets rather dark and sad in the end, but remember, it's not over, till it's over...)
Destiny involved yet another obstacle course. Frisk had forgotten what an ordeal it was to get across the maze of lava and infrastructure to the elevators on the far side, and back then it was working right. Alphys did all she could to help them, but whether some of the systems were failing, or someone was making things challenging for them, they had to improvise quite a few times. Poor Undyne was becoming exhausted, stringing rope over burning hot chasms, navigating chimneys shooting flames, and worse. She was consuming water at a rate that had Frisk concerned. She knelt beside the struggling fish girl as she took another water break. "Are you doing okay?"
"Never..." she panted before polishing off a bottle, and tossed it to the lava below. "Better."
She couldn't be lying more blatantly, and Frisk tugged her mouth. "How much water do you have left?"
"Enough," she muttered. "Wasn't planning on... coming back this way... anyhow."
That sounded ominously like a suicide run. "Undyne, you were... counting on making it through, right?" That got the attention of the two skeletons, and they eyed her in concern.
She noticed their expressions, coughing, "Oh, knock it off. No soldier goes into battle to die. But real warriors... we know the cost of victory can be..." She shrugged offhandedly. "You know."
She put her hand on the woman's shoulder. "There will be no... you know today. Nothing's happening to you. Got it?"
"That's right!" Papyrus chimed in.
She had to laugh at her own words flung back at her like that. "Gotcha, commander. Gotcha." She clambered to her feet, stretching. "Well, better take advantage of that water. Let's go, guys." She shook her head, grumbling, "I should'a made a card... tired of sayin' that."
She tripped over her own feet, but rather than recover as she normally would, her pack began to throw her towards the edge. She looked over it in terror at rivers of glowing lava far below, and rocks around it, as everyone cried out in alarm. She had pushed herself too hard, and she was going to die in a horrible way...
Papyrus grabbed her to him, seizing her in a tight embrace. Just as she began to melt into it in relief, she came to herself and pushed away. "Easy, Paps!" she exclaimed. "I'm wearing ordinance!"
"You're also carrying too much," he growled. "Give me that!"
She protested and tried to fight him off, but he easily removed her backpack. "Hey! Who's the boss!"
"You are," he acknowledged, slipping it on. "But you aren't strong here! You can't perform at your best in this heat, and acting like you can could have cost you your life!" He added somberly, "And one of my dearest friends..."
She snorted, noting that Frisk looked emotional too. "Oh come on. You think I'm a wimp?"
"No. You might be the strongest person I know," he confessed. "But a real strong person admits when it's time to rely on the strength of their friends." He grinned, knowing one of her punchlines. "Be a team player."
"You guys..." she laughed. "Okay, you win. Till we get outta here, anyhow."
"Fair enough," he conceded, motioning for her to lead.
They had ascended to quite an altitude. It was still hot, but thank God it was slightly cooler. They could see everything again. All the lights in the installation around the CORE, the mysterious bulk of the CORE itself surrounded by lava, and the castle, with its one glowing window at the top regarding them balefully, as if some omnipotent cyclops waiting for a fun moment to squash them. Was it The Hall of Judgment? "That's a sacred place!" Frisk declared, feeling outraged.
"Don't worry." Undyne slapped her shoulder, saying definitely, "Chara's about to be evicted."
"Finally!" Papyrus announced as the tall skeleton spotted an elevator. "I was beginning to wonder if we would ever see it."
Undyne was appalled at the lettering over its door. "R... three? We climbed up half a mile, just to go back down again... I can't believe this day..." She hunched over, feeling as exhausted as a girl could. Frisk patted her back with a sympathetic smile, glad that her pack was out of the way so she could.
"But, it was wonderful scaling those unnecessary heights with you," Papyrus said, trying to encourage her. "You did a marvelous job of it."
"Paps..." she chuckled mirthlessly, "shut it." She stood up, giving him a wink when he looked downcast. "Even Alphys couldn't find any other way. Meant to be, right?" she said to Frisk. "Anyhow, you all know the line: let's go."
As they entered it, Undyne reached for her phone just as it rang. "You're making a habit of that," she chuckled to the scientist as the elevator descended.
"O-of what?" Alphys asked, having no idea.
"I was about to call."
"Oh... uhm..." she murmured fretfully, "Yeah... I see you made it to the... elevators. I know that... th-these are new digital phones, b-but the signal... it m-might be cut off in the CORE..."
"I know," the warrior said quietly, looking down. "I just wanted to hear your voice one more time before we go in. Something to give me the will to win, no matter what."
"I... did too," she blubbered, "b-but... I wish y-you'd let the Marines handle this..."
She had to laugh. "Girl, you're relentless. But as Frisk says, some things are just meant to be. So is this. I'll call you as soon as I can." She heard a mournful whine on the other end, and murmured, "Bye, hon." She sighed as she pocketed the phone, but smiled to the others. "She's encouraging."
"She didn't sound like it to me-" Papyrus muttered, cut off by an elbow from his brother.
Their phones sounded an update tone. Frisk checked hers and giggled. "You should see this."
They all enjoyed a warm, fuzzy moment as on the screen read:
WITH YOU IN SPIRIT
AND PHONE BILLS
AND PHOTOSWAP
Below it was an image of Alphys' face pasted onto a superhero's muscular body, his cape flying. Her face bore a look of determination.
"That's my girl," Undyne sighed, brushing her thumb over the screen, then put her phone away for good. The doors opened, and she led them out onto the entrance to MTT Resort. Which was now MTT Memorial Resort. The sign read:
WELCOME TO MTT MEMORIAL RESORT
SPEND A MEMORIAL NIGHT IN OUR LUXURY MEMORIAL SUITES
LEAVE MEMORIAL GOLD AT THE DESK
IN THE MEMORIAL COOKIE JAR
Sans joked, "Hey, I wonder if there's any-" Papyrus cleared his throat warningly. "Hey, I was just gonna peek."
"No peeking," Undyne ordered, giving his head a slap. "Oh, and that reminds me... give me that! Doesn't belong to you!"
Papyrus blinked in shock as the warrior flipped him over onto the floor face down, jerking her backpack from him. As he turned over, she pulled out a bottle of water, drained it, and threw it against his head. It bounced off in a grand arc, clattering away. She put the pack on and stood over him, leering. "Who's the boss? That's right, me! And I'm feeling great! Just keep that in mind." She licked the strand of pond kelp that had come off his hat, patting it onto his brim.
He gaped at it in surprise. "But... that's not in uniform-"
"It is now." She strode confidently to the hotel's double doors. "Alright, let's go trim the weeds."
Sans helped his brother to his feet, grinning. "Bro, you got seriously dunked on."
"Well..." he muttered, but with a smile, "at least I was dunked by the best."
Undyne said over her shoulder, "Damn right, you did!"
They couldn't believe it... the music was still on. Undyne looked to the MTT Memorial Burger Emporium with a sigh, biting the end off a granola bar, wrapper and all, and spat out the foil. "I could really use a Glamburger and fries right now."
"Shake, too," Sans added.
As she led the way through to the CORE installation entrance, she told Frisk, "Hey kid, stay in the middle."
She was, but wondered at the Salmian's order. "Okay, but why?"
The warrior looked to the ceiling fretfully, recalling a few incidents. "I don't think Flowey likes you. She knows you're... well, Human." When she began to object, Undyne told her, "Come on, Frisk, keep out of it when it gets serious. Stay behind the asteroid kickers. Do it for me. Please. Don't make me order you."
She gripped her baton, her mighty, mighty stun baton, and sighed. Undyne was right every time. The warrior's instincts had been sharpened by rock hard training and actual danger, below and above the surface. And hers had been going to school for a decade. "Oh... kay," she murmured reluctantly, but crossed her fingers behind her back. She had instincts too, and had faced off against the worst the underworld could throw at anyone at half this age. And... some things were just meant to be, right?
Undyne tussled her hair with a grin. "That's my little support angel." She looked down the blue corridor leading inside, gripping her straps tight. "Okay guys, senses sharp, fangs out. It's time to make some Destiny go our way."
Frisk held onto her baton firmly. The few moments of danger she had faced didn't reflect all that well on her capability. She could do better, she knew. She was older, stronger, had much more faith now, and was filled with determination. She just had to awaken that inner hero that had come to life ten years ago when she didn't know any better. But... maybe that was the answer. Just dive in headlong with childlike innocence and believe it would all work out.
The installation had seen better days after ten years. It hadn't been in great shape to start with, missing wall panels and floor plates that didn't always line up right. But now, panels had collapsed, light fixtures came loose leaving it dark... it was a real mess in spots.
"Place could use a new coat of paint," Sans joked. He added to Frisk guardedly, "Heya... listen, you see any SAVE stars anywhere?"
Her eyes bugged open in shock - oh my God! Where were they! "I... I hadn't noticed any..."
"Hmm... makes things interesting," he remarked dryly. His eternal nonchalance, no matter the situation, never ceased to amaze her. But in her case... maybe diving in with childlike innocence wasn't such a good idea after all...
Undyne ground to a halt, pointing up ahead. "Some of Alphys' shapes approaching."
They watched expectantly, readying for whatever monstrosity was laying in wait for them, but when they came into view, Undyne snickered. They were foliage from interior decorative displays. Walking, but still just houseplants. "Attack of the shrubbery, huh? Well, we have more than cows to throw at them. Let's trim those hedges!" She flung her backpack down, saying, "Watch that, Frisk!"
"What... seriously?" she protested as the others threw themselves into the fray, and needless to say it was completely one sided. But she heard a noise behind her and saw that more had come up from behind. She fully charged her baton and whipped it around, enjoying the sizzle of electricity in the air. "Okay, let's see what this thing can do."
She swung with all her might at a bush trying to lunge towards her and grinned as the charged rod slashed right through it. But it shook it off, continuing towards her, and more behind it. "Hey... no fair!" she cried as it engulfed her legs, holding them fast. The ones on either side then slashed at her, and they had thorns, long and needle sharp. She cried out tenderly as they raked through her sleeves, cutting into her skin. "Oh man... I didn't expect you guys... to be so tough! Can't we talk this over with a cup of Super Grow?" But they weren't much for conversation.
She was becoming unhinged, slashing frantically, but then her reason began to take over, and she realized that thrashing around like a scared little girl wasn't effective. She recalled how Undyne fought, with bold, direct, forceful strokes. "Like... this!" She sliced down at an angle, and a shrub fell in half, tottering away. She attacked the others as aggressively, and one by one, she whittled them down. She felt no SOULs in the bushes, thus had no qualms about defoliating them.
She jumped at a loud cry from behind. "Get off her!" Undyne took care of the rest, appearing as the monstrosities fell away, throwing them down and spearing them or slashing them through. Gasping more from emotion than effort, she grabbed the girl and hauled her out of the bramble. "Are you all right?"
"Well... sure!" she said with a grin.
"You don't look like it. What were you doing!"
"They..." she faltered, surprised at the Salmian's reaction. Shouldn't she be proud? "Really wanted your backpack."
"Right..." she growled with a hot look. "Kid, you're bleeding, a lot! Lemme look at those arms."
She began to rip the sleeves, but Frisk snatched them away, rolling them up. "Undyne! Why do you soldiers always have to tear clothes up?"
"They're kinda torn up already," she muttered as she checked the girl over.
The other two came up as the warrior dabbed painful antiseptic on her cuts and wrapped them in cloth tape. "Oh my!" Papyrus fretted. "Why didn't you call for help!"
Frisk gaped at him in dismay. "Guys... these were nothing! It's not that bad! And didn't you say I need the practice?"
Undyne gave her a dull look. "Kid, you got cut up by friggin' house plants. We don't even have a grass stain."
Sans told her somberly, "Practice with real live monsters is kinda... rough."
"Well, thanks for the vote of confidence," she grumbled, flexing her arms. "I'm fine!"
"Undyne, perhaps you are being a bit too..." Papyrus sought for an appropriate word. "Mothery."
She was about to smart off, but then realized with an apologetic expression that they were right, after a fashion. She looked down at the stun baton uncertainly. "That was the strongest weapon I thought you could handle." She drew out her lethal black pistol, looking it over, then to her. "You know how to use this?"
She did. But, the thought of accidentally putting a bullet through one of her friends, especially if it... oh my God, no. She shook her head at it. "I'd... better not. The baton is really pretty useful."
She holstered it, looking pensive. "Listen... I know you want to help. I'd go crazy too if I was benched. But... just know your limits, okay? If anything happened to you, I'd..." She closed her eye with a heavy breath. "I'd never forgive myself. We'd all be dead without you around." Her eye open slowly into Frisk's. "There's Destiny, and then there are risky chances. Don't do that. Team player, okay?"
She gave her beloved warrior a lopsided smile. "Promise. No risky chances."
Undyne returned an encouraging smile. "Okay kid. Next shrub is yours. The rest... we'll have to negotiate."
She gave an exasperated groan. "Okay, mom."
"Aw, come on!" she exclaimed as the skeletons enjoyed a nyeah. She collected her backpack and went on ahead. "You're gonna give me gray hairs, ya know."
Frisk grew nervous as she marched along in the midst of her guardians, down those eerie corridors that seemed to come from memories both fresh and forever old. Flowey had been a nightmare before, now she had Gaster working with her... what new tricks did she have in store for them? For her, if Undyne was right? She doubted it was just more cranky houseplants.
Right now, it was, though Undyne cringed at the sight of the creatures rounding the corner to face them. "Eeeww... cactus. Don't let 'em get close to..." she began, then watched as they flexed backwards. Her stomach knotted and she cried, "Turn around!"
They did so just as a hail of needles flew into them. The warrior covered Frisk as best she could, but she still gasped out as she got tagged in her hands and legs several times. "Damn it, that stings!" Undyne hissed, then gave them a wicked, toothy grin. "But mine sting worse!" Frisk looked up to see the amazing sight of dozens of glowing blue spears appear overhead which launched into the rubbery monstrosities. They didn't last long, being shredded by the magical barrage into pieces.
"Damn, I hate needles," Undyne snarled, turning to look Frisk over in concern. "You okay?"
"Uhm... yeah..." she murmured, gingerly picking cactus nettles from her limbs. "But you really got hurt!"
She had to laugh. "It's okay, it only really hurts when I do that. You pick 'em off me while I stand watch." She winced in sympathy for the fish woman as she plucked the needles from her by the dozens... perhaps more than a hundred. Thank heaven the large backpack spared most of her torso. She pulled out her cellphone when Frisk had removed most of them and checked it.
"Any luck?" Sans asked, idly plucking needles from his coat and flicking them.
She shook her head. "It's tryin', but it's intermittent as hell, can't get a lock. The metal walls, electricity and magical energy are too much." She peered up at a security camera suspiciously. "I hope someone's enjoying the show we're putting on for them."
"But I thought Al-" Frisk began, but Undyne stood in front of her, covering her mouth.
"Someone runs these cameras," she whispered in reminder. She turned her attention to the other two, smirking. "Ya know, since you two are needle-proof, you can take point."
Papyrus stood up, looking proud. "Well, why didn't you ask? I would be more than happy to! It's not often you ask me to do something for you."
"It's not often you're better at something than I am!" she laughed.
He shrugged with a sigh. "Good point..."
Sans looked over the results of Undyne's attack, the walls and floorplates littered with spear holes. "Y'know, Dyne, you might try not trashin' the interior so much."
"Really not all that worried about the decor, Sansy," she snapped back.
"Well, junk behind these plates tie in to systems all over the place," he reminded her. "Stuff we might need to keep working."
"I'll... keep that in mind," she muttered.
Down one hallway, Undyne spotted a nook. Frisk chuckled offhandedly, "I got a Glamburger down that way the first time I came in here."
"Really? I'm there!" The warrior flashed a rather wet smile and bolted down it.
"Undyne - wait!" Frisk called, then hurried after her with the others.
Papyrus was baffled. "What on earth was serving up Glamburgers down in the CORE? Was it... a food dispenser?"
She shook her head with a grimace. "A trash can."
Sans grinned when it looked like his brother's jaw might fall out. "WHAAT? And you used to complain about my cooking!"
"Well, I was desperate!"
"So is she," Sans chuckled, pointing, and it was plain to see Undyne digging through the rubbish, finally holding up her prize.
"Come to mama!" she exclaimed and opened wide.
"That's ten years old-!" Frisk blurted out, but not in time, and everyone cringed at the crack that rattled in the chamber.
"AAOW! God... dang it!" she exclaimed, throwing it back into the trash. It landed with a hard bang. "Lucky I didn't chip a tooth. That's not a Glamburger, it's a Glam-rock!"
Frisk couldn't restrain laughter at the woman's inadvertent pun. "I tried... to warn you!"
"Oh, you think that's funny? Nearly having to get crowned?" she smirked, threatening to give the girl a noogie.
"Hey, wait!" she laughed, weakly fending the Salmian off. "Glam rock is a style of music."
"Oh really? Okay, I'm curious." She put the girl in a gentle headlock. "When we get done, you have to YouTube me up some o' this stuff. Unless it's that dancey crud Metaton performs to." Frisk tried to laugh, but her face was mashed up against the warrior's side. "What's that? Can't hear ya, kid."
She finally managed to find air, laughing, "Give, tap out, King's X, uncle!"
Papyrus gave his brother a sigh. "This is what I get to look forward to."
After a few more moments of steam-venting fun, she led them to a crossroads. "Okay, conference time. This way leads to the elevators for the secret labs, the other goes to the lift to the castle." She looked directly at Frisk. "Which way?"
She was surprised at being asked to make such a decision, but then, wasn't she their guardian angel? "Well... the CORE labs are probably our ultimate goal. We might learn something in the castle, even if it's just Flowey taunting us."
Undyne gave her a toothy, lopsided smile. "Spoken like a real soldier. Any other ideas from you two?"
Sans answered for his brother. "Works for us."
She thumbed her pack straps. "Awright, we go their first."
To their surprise, this way was free of obstacles and enemies. It got on everyone's nerves, how quiet it was, the only sound the faint whine of idling systems. "I don't know if I like this or not," Undyne grumbled quietly.
Frisk murmured in trepidation, "I know... it's so... spooky, this silence..."
A crash reverberated ominously in the distance, causing everyone to huddle. "Feel better?" Sans asked with a grin.
"Shut up," the warrior snapped.
Making it to the elevator without incident seemed almost a hollow victory. Frisk's heart was racing, her stomach in knots, and it was becoming hard to breathe. The last time she had come this way, it was to fight the adorable, terrible King who became her loving father - to the death. Thank God she managed to cheat her way out of that mortal duel. But that was then. Was she having a panic attack from the memories? Or... was it something else, something... up there?
"You okay, kid?" Undyne was eyeing her closely.
"Yyeahh..." she husked out weakly, then shook her head, irritated with herself. "I'm fine. Let's go."
"Well, finally have someone else to say that," she smirked. But as she pushed the elevator button, the doors opening, she looked just as grim. Someone had left the lights on for them, and they were about to find out why.
Frisk had forgotten how long that ride had been. The whine of ascent seemed to go on for half an hour, and they all fidgeted nervously. But it finally ended, the doors opening onto a golden hallway. Undyne put her hand across the exit as they edged forward. "Hold on," she hissed. "Could be a welcoming committee." She peered around the corner, then stepped out, feeling a little more at ease, and motioned for them.
The Hall of Judgment.
The entire place was plated in precious gold. It was the most beautiful location in the kingdom. It was also the place where she had been Judged for every deed she had done in their world, if not her whole life. That had been a frightening experience for a twelve year old girl ignorant of spiritual matters. But she had not been condemned, her gentle heart granted the approval of Providence. Now, however, she felt a crushing dread... why? Wasn't she the same person? Wasn't she their guardian angel? A Warrior of Destiny? Or was there another presence here, an invader who didn't belong, who was trying to usurp the Proper Owner? "Get out," she murmured, but whatever it was didn't seem impressed with her weak attempt at bravado.
She looked beside the elevator doors to the place along the walls where the SAVE point had been, where she knew it had been, but the gleaming star was missing. As she peered at the spot, she began to perceive a dull blur. She reached into it, but it seemed to always be out of reach. The hell...?
"What are you doing?" Papyrus asked reverently. Even that small question made her jump. She felt... guilty.
"Uhm... nothing-" she muttered, but Undyne cut her short, reaching for her.
"Listen."
She clenched, her blood rushing in her ears, so it was hard to hear anything else in that silence for a moment. But as she calmed down, the hairs on the back of her neck began to raise. A Voice... words, as faint as thought. What was going on? And what they were saying...
Sin...
Judgment... Responsibilities Ignored... Destiny Unfulfilled... Pride... Anger... Hatred... Folly... Lies... Greed... Lust... Murder... Young Lives Ended... Regret... Heartache... Sorrow... Destiny Ruined... Failure... Judgment...
Sin...
They went on relentlessly... she could hardly stand it! "Flowey? Gaster? Stop it!" she demanded awkwardly, but she had enough sense to know they weren't the Source. Last time, it had been Sans presiding over her, and that was bad enough. But now, the rightful Owner of this chamber inhabited it, and she realized with a shiver who They were.
THE JUDGE... The Judge Of The Quick And The Dead
Then she noticed her friends, and withered in sympathy. Undyne and Papyrus, they were hanging their heads sorrowfully, looking utterly devastated. Sans was hunched down a bit as well, his eye sockets dark, and he wasn't smiling. Why were they being judged? She was the sinner here... she was guilty, not them!
She grabbed Undyne by the hand. "Undyne, don't listen-!"
The woman jerked her hand back, moaning plaintively, "Don't... go away... I'm... bad..."
"No you're not!" she declared adamantly, seizing her hand and refused to let go. She grabbed Papyrus' gloved hand as well, and pushed Sans out between them, herding them into the elevator. They trudged woodenly, but obeyed. Thank heaven the door worked; she feared it might not let them out.
Frisk held the baton before her uncertainly. It seemed wrong to have weapons in this holy place, and when Undyne came to her senses, she tossed it to her. "Here... I'll just be a few."
"Frisk?" she muttered distractedly for a second, then her eyes popped open at the stun baton. "Kid, don't stay in there!"
"I have to," she told her friend solemnly. "I have to face my Judgment, again. Don't come out."
"What?" she blurted out just as the door closed. No one was happy about this.
She faced down the gleaming hall, this place so pure and sanctified that not a speck of dust lingered after a decade abandoned. She knew then why the lights were on. They would remain lit until The End of Everything. At the back of the Hall was a massive stained glass window, with the figure of a heavenly Being beneath the Delta Rune making the sign of peace, and of judgment, and she knew Who it was. She stepped forward tentatively, her heart hammering in her chest. This time, new accusations engulfed her soul.
Sin...
Impurity... Wrongness... Like a Cancer... Inescapable... Corruption... All Things... All Thoughts... All Motives... All Dreams... Twisted By Darkness... Purity Essential... Angels Must Be Pure...
Sin Must Be Judged...
"God!" she wailed. "What do I have to do! I want to be pure!"
Repent...
"I will, I will!" she cried, falling to her knees. She saw her whole life laid bear before her. It was ugly... she had never seen herself like that, and it was dreadful. She was so ashamed of herself... what an awful sinner! How could anyone love this... how could her mother, after what she just did? "I - I'm sorry!" she sobbed out plaintively. "Please... I need mercy... forgiveness! Please!"
She felt like bawling in relief as all those horrible memories rolled up like a scroll and vanished. She still didn't feel pure, not really, but she felt so much better. However, her ordeal wasn't over yet.
Why Are You Here?
"W-why?" she blubbered. "Asriel! I have to save him! And Gaster!"
You Can Save No One... Not Even Yourself... Their Fates Have Been Determined...
"No!" she exclaimed in anguish. "I can't accept that... it's not fair!"
Do You Question ME?
She choked in shock at the Eternal Significance of the question. If this was God, who was she to object to anything? Still, she had to try. But what could she say! "N-no... not question. I know I don't have that right."
Shall Not The Judge Of All The World Do Right?
She began to feel hopeless, unsure of herself. But... no. This was All meant to be. Otherwise, what was the point? And then a thought lit in her mind like a candle. "Their fates have been determined. But they aren't complete, are they?"
You Cannot Save Them...
Her heart plummeted, and she nearly collapsed.
But If You Have Faith... And Act Purely... They Can Be SAVED...
She sobbed in gratitude. "Thank you! But... what do I do, how will I know...?"
Follow Your Heart... Believe In Yourself... Believe In Your Friends... Believe In ME...
Whatever Happens... You Must Have Faith... Without Faith... You Will Accomplish Nothing...
That sounded almost dire. Did she have that kind of faith? "I... I'll try. I could really use some help with that..."
I Am Here... I AM...
The Name of God. It felt like an eternal seal on an unbreakable promise. And she really needed that right then. For a moment, she was awestruck with gratitude.
She then smiled weakly, hoping God had a sense of humor. "I'll take that as a yes." And then a question came to mind, one that had been nagging her. "Oh, one more thing? Just curious... but am I an angel?" It didn't really matter one way or the other, but they had been calling her that...
Does It Matter One Way Or The Other?
She burst out laughing. "You do have a sense of humor!"
No... You Are Human... A Very Special Human... With Much Responsibility... And Yes... It Does Matter... I Made You For A Purpose... Fulfill It... Do Great Things In My Name... Make Me Proud...
"But no pressure, right?" she murmured, but her snarky humor melted away in this sacred moment. "I'll try... I'll try really hard, my best. Just... please watch over my friends. They mean the world to me. And give me that Faith when it really counts, please? You know it's not for me. I love everyone... I want to help them."
Even though there was no response, she got the feeling He had given her a majestic nod. "Thanks again. I really, really appreciate it... bless You," she murmured reverently. And then she noticed the doorway at the end, leading to the throne room, which had been there all that time. She crept forward, intimidated by that Holy Presence she knew would never leave, adding, "I... I'm just going to go peek..."
She felt a bit silly for her trepidation, but then it wasn't like she had a private audience with God everyday. Stepping lightly up to the brink of the doorway, she peered around the edge, saying softly, "Uh... hello?"
"Who the hell are you talking to?"
As she peered into the relative gloom of the royal chamber, she saw it. Flowey, propped up lazily on Asgore's throne. She gaped at Frisk in amazement. "Well! Look at our little Frisky, all grown up! God da-!"
"Don't talk like that. This is a sacred place." She came in, long dead plants crunching underfoot. It added to her offended mood.
"Bullshit," she cursed dismissively, and everything about the twisted plant's demeanor spoke plainly that Chara held full control. "This is my place now. So what's up? Oh, wait..." She curled two fronds under her chin daintily, producing a caricature of Asriel in her features. "You want to save your precious brother you never knew, don't you?"
Frisk swallowed in the grip of angst, but she was determined that her emotions wouldn't get the best of her. "I don't want to, I'm going to."
Flowey laughed derisively. "For a girl, you have balls! I'll grant you that!"
She wasn't finished. "Gaster too. And you, if you'll let me."
Flowey roared with inhuman laughter, a monstrous face appearing in the center. "Listen to you! You won't stop! But I have news for you, little guardian angel. I don't need saving! And Gaster belongs to me! Asriel too! So save that heroic bullshit for some little goner kid too dumb to know you're a has-been."
"They belong to you?" She blinked in consternation... what the heck did she mean?
"Hey! The bad guy finally has the hero's attention!" she said mockingly, savoring the expression on the girl's face. She cupped fronds to her petals, rocking back and forth. "Oh, whatever could she mean? Well, you'll find out, and real soon."
She wasn't about to let the monstrous creature dominate the situation. "You'll find out that I'm not a pushover, any more than I was back then. And I brought friends this time."
"Oh, sure. You and your weed whacker buddies really did a job on those potted plants," she chided. "But the surface world made you soft. I bet they all got jobs, and you spent the last few years going to self-esteem school, unless you dropped out to flip burgers. Oh, how am I going to stand up to such awesome warriors?" She laughed raucously. "Give me a friggin' break! A couple of Christmas trees swatted you all right off a cliff! You guys are pussies!"
The memory of that awful event made her blood boil. "Look who's talking, lawn weed," Frisk growled at her. "You've become quite the potty mouth to make up for your lack of stature. But we're still here. I should spank you right now." Flowey rose up, hissing in the girl's face viciously. She flinched away, just a bit, and shoved it back down. "Don't spit in my face, you little brat."
Act Purely
"Later," she snapped. She wasn't in a very purely mood right then. "I want to speak with Asriel."
Flowey settled back, a wicked look on her face, that horrid mockery of the child's features reforming. "I'm right here, pumpkin." It batted its eyes in false affection.
The evil monster knew just how to tug her heartstrings, and she felt like crying from worry and frustration, but somehow she kept it together. "You're lying," she said defiantly.
"Maybe I am," she chided, her monstrous face morphing back. "But it doesn't matter, and that's your weakness. I'll win, because you don't dare hurt your vewy best fwiend in aww the ooniverse." She cackled haughtily. "You're a fallen angel, and I'll prove it! And all your friends will be so sad WHEN I CRUSH YOU!"
She jumped back in alarm as spiky tendrils shot up from the soil at her. If not for that arrogant cry, Flowey would have her. She missed having that stun baton just then, dodging, jumping, rolling... the wicked plant was having a great time putting her through a workout. But it was just a game of tag, Frisk realized, and ran for the golden hallway. She made it without incident, thank Heaven, panting from effort and fright. "You'll have to do... better than that, wallflower!" She stood up straight as she regained her composure. "Why don't you come out here to play?"
Flowey sat in the pilfered throne a bit longer, a gloat on her face. "I don't have to do what you tell me to, brat! Besides, we'll meet soon enough. It's why you're here, after all. You can't resist having a reunion with me... with us. You'll be drawn to me irresistibly, because you are a total idiot!" Tendrils scrabbled at the door's edge, and she growled, "Damn it, why doesn't this stupid place have any doors! Oh... screw it. See you soon, Frisky!" She cackled with derisive laughter and held up an erect frond at her as she vanished into the bed of dead flowers.
Frisk coughed hotly when she realized what it was. "She gave me the finger? Damn you, you little freak." She looked up to the ornamental window at the end of the gleaming Hall, and the stained glass image of the glorious Being beneath the Delta Rune. It was as if Providence was still judging her behavior, and... well, it was foolish to think it would ever end. She murmured fretfully, "I guess... I could have handled that a little better, huh."
Act Purely
You're a fallen angel!
Remember your promise
I'll crush you!
She looked down, groaning from doubt. "I'm... trying, really trying, but... how do you deal with that kind of maniac? I'm just a young girl. I need wisdom!" As she turned to go, she added, "I could really use a spoiler..."
Act In Purity Of Heart... You Must Believe... In Yourself... In Your Friends... In ME...
Whatever Happens... You Must Have Faith... Without Faith... You Will Accomplish Nothing... But With Faith... All Things Are Possible...
She smiled thinly, clutching her hand to her breast, her confidence returning. "I guess I needed to hear that again. And with Your help, and my friends, I can do anything. This will work. I believe it."
She opened the elevator doors and had to laugh as her friends flinched back. Eavesdropping. Sans waved to her. "Hey. Just... keepin' tabs."
"What happened in there?" Undyne demanded in obvious concern. "We heard... some strange stuff."
"Oh... I just talked to God for a while... Flowey-"
She blinked as Undyne seized her by the triceps. She only moved that fast in battle. "What? And you didn't call for help? The hell is wrong with you Frisk! Don't you EVER do that again! You hear me?" She was quaking with fear for the girl.
"Undyne, please... calm down!" she urged the warrior, finally working out of her grasp. Wow, was she strong. "There was no way she was going to harm me up here, with Him so close. This wasn't her moment of truth anyway. She was just going to gloat and taunt me. And... she did a pretty good job," she murmured sourly. "Yeah, she wanted to toy with me, but look." She held her arms up and twirled around for all to see. "Not a scratch. And besides, it was meant to be, right?"
Undyne fixed her in a frightening stare of scarcely bridled anger. "Wonderful. And that's the last time you pull a stunt like this. Promise me."
She shrugged, holding up her hand. "Oh, that's easy. I promise. Because next time... it's for real," she sighed. "Now, you promise me. Don't kill her. Or risk your life not killing her. Any of you." She looked at all of them. "Promise?"
Undyne planted her hands on her hips, giving her a smirk. "Who's in charge of this little garden party?"
"You are," she replied promptly. "But you know who else is counting on us."
"I know. But I've been in enough battles to know I can't keep that kind of promise," she replied honestly. "Still, I'll do my best. I always do." She hoisted her pack on and pressed the down button to Level One.
"I will make you that promise, Frisk," Papyrus said to her guardedly, but in that cramped space, everyone heard it.
Undyne looked up innocently, but then cast her gaze back to the girl, looking perplexed. "Uhh... hey. I wanted to ask you... is the Big Guy..." She sought for words, not wanting to sound impious after all she had experienced with Frisk. "Grumpy?"
She knew immediately what the woman was talking about, that dreadful Judgment in the hall. "He's... well, a Judge of everyone. And pure, holy. And listen..." Her voice trailed off somberly from her own ordeal. "I was humiliated too."
Undyne spat out a laugh. "What, you chew gum in class? Take too much candy? I can't imagine you doing anything too..." She blinked at the girl in amazement. "Seriously?"
"Undyne, you have no idea... no one lives a perfect life," she said honestly. "And I lied through my teeth to my mom right in front of you not an hour ago. We would all be crushed if our secrets were made known."
"Prob'ly why we can't read minds," Sans commented. "Wouldn't be good, knowing that stuff in everyone's heads."
"The jokes you haven't told yet would probably end world peace," Papyrus remarked dryly.
"That's why I don't tell 'em," he grinned.
Undyne ignored them, looking bewildered and hurt as she leaned against the wall. "And praying felt so... good...but... if He sees me like that..." She gave a loud groan. "Still... I feel like... I needed to hear it... as much as it stung..."
Frisk grabbed her friend in a warm hug. "Well, ask for forgiveness. And keep in mind He loves you more than I do."
She draped her arms around her with a smile. "And like magic, you make things okay. How do you do it?" She chuckled, adding, "Just watch the grenades, there."
"I know," Frisk murmured fondly.
"And the pistol, tazer and mace."
"I know," she giggled.
"There's a lot more," Undyne reminded her, grinning.
"I know," she laughed. Everyone enjoyed a laugh.
But the doors opened onto the main floor, and it was time to get serious. Undyne said as much as she gave Frisk back her baton. "And no risky risks, Frisk."
"Hey, that's pretty good," Sans remarked.
"Wasn't meant to be a joke, chuckles," she snapped, "just want it to stick in her head."
"I'll do my best, promise," Frisk swore to her. The second she had emerged, she became quite serious, almost grim. This really would be The Moment Of Truth, and she was determined that it would work for the best. One great Destiny for everyone, especially Asriel. Even if it cost her dearly. Her promise had been worded with care...
"Well... here comes the Brush Brigade," Undyne chuckled as more shrubbery approached them. There were quite a few, but they all knew how weak they were. The cactus behind them were another matter, but Undyne had stoked her energy to its peak to deal with whatever enemies came at them. "Cut 'em down to size!"
This time, Frisk was content to let her friends deal with the plant monsters Flowey brought to life for them, at least for the most part. Her friends let a few get past them so she could take them out from behind without much fuss.
"What's that pot-head thinking?" Sans said with that perpetual smile. "This is almost boring."
"It won't be," Frisk warned them. "She sounded pretty sure of herself when she talked to me. Be careful, don't take anything for granted."
"What did she say?" Undyne asked as she readied for monsters yet to appear.
Gaster belongs to me! Asriel too!
"I can't tell them that," she murmured to herself. "Just that she had no doubt she would win against us wusses."
"Oh really!" Undyne brandished her spear at a camera, hoping that Alphys was discreetly linked in to the signal. "What? Are you gonna wear us down with chlorophyll poisoning?"
"I wish you hadn't done that..." Frisk said quietly as they pushed onward.
Undyne ground to a halt peering at something ahead of them. "The hell is that?" None of them could quite figure it out. She cried out as a laser beam swept towards them, "Crapping hell!"
They dodged the sweep of the beam, and then the creature itself came into view. It was horrible... some sort of misshapen entity like an Amalgamate, but not, like some organism with random features. And in its head was a laser turret. "Watch out!" she exclaimed as another beam traced a path towards them. Thank heaven they were a little slow, but more were coming from behind. Beams cast around at random, and it occured to her that these were red. "What the hell are they!"
"It looks kinda like-" Sans said, interrupted as he dodged. "Chara swept up random Monster dust and reconstituted it."
"But... that's horrible!" Papyrus wailed.
"That girl is sick!" Undyne cried in disgust. She plunged her hands through a wall panel, ripping it out of its fittings and set it up as a shield. "Frisk, get behind this and stay put!"
"Right, right." She wasn't about to argue as they all huddled beside her. Not only could she be injured, but one stray beam in her eye and she would be blind for life. But she worried about her friends' safety, knowing they wouldn't hide for long, and wished she had that pistol after all.
She gaped in shock as Undyne plucked a grenade from her harness and threw it, crying to the skeletons, "Follow me!" Was she crazy? But rather than loud booms, she heard a soft pop... oh, of course, smoke grenades. She peered around the edge of the panel to see her go flying into the cream colored fog. A few moments later, there was the sound of pummeling and laser globes crashing to the floor. "Frisk, come on!" Undyne called to her. Thank God... this was going better than she expected. She ran through the dense cloud of vapor, stepping over weird patterns of dust, feeling sick. That depraved lunatic!
Only one has a hope of reaching him
Act With Purity
Remember your promise
"I'm trying, I'm trying... but it's so hard," she fretted. What if she made a wrong move... any of them? "Please... help me know what to do!" she prayed.
They ran into the depths of the installation to where an elevator would take them to the secret labs. It was a wide open area. But as they cast around, the walls were blank. "What the hell?" Undyne ran up to them, feeling around the surface. "Frisk, where was it?"
"Right... there," she said in perplexion. It was right where she remembered the elevator being. It looked like foot traffic led to that very spot. "She must have walled it off."
"If ya need me to, I could blast stuff," Sans offered. "Don't think it's the best idea, though."
"Damn... we could really use a phone call right now," the warrior grumbled. "I don't like this."
"I do."
They looked around in alarm as a series of noises sounded from above, and Flowey crashed to the floor, fifteen feet tall. Then another? More... a number of them! And they looked mad. "Oh look, I'm beside myself."
"Mother fuck..." Undyne swore in astonishment.
"Ya know... that's what I was gonna say," Sans muttered.
"W... what do we do?" Papyrus implored.
Frisk quivered in the grip of terror, but a kernel of determination helped her regain her composure. "One of them has to be the real one," she told them guardedly.
"Y-yeahh, but... which one?" The warrior cast around in dismay at the giant golden flowers surrounding them, edging closer. She slipped carefully out of her pack.
An idea struck her. "Chara!" she called out. "What do you want?"
"Oh... what any abandoned flower girl wants," she replied, her voice sounding a short ways off. "To smash you guys to dust, right after I pluck the wings off your fallen angel here. I want you to enjoy watching her get torn to pieces first."
"Ain't gonna happen, you freak of nature!" Undyne snarled.
Frisk kept scanning around. "Will it make things any better?"
"It's a start!" the monstrosity cackled madly.
Frisk was sure of something now. "None of them are Chara. Their mouths aren't moving, and I don't sense any SOULs in them."
"Just what I wanted to hear," Undyne said with a grin. "Guys! Mow 'em down! Frisk, stay in the middle!" She grabbed up the ugly looking tube and leveled it at the one before her. "Eat riot control, ragweed!" She fired off a florescent orange ball that swelled several feet in diameter. It slammed into the face of a copy, toppling it. "Man, I love these things!"
"Say hello to my little lawnmower friend," Sans quipped, and with a fingersnap, a Gaster Blaster manifested above him. It blazed through one instantly.
Papyrus drove a huge bone through the face of a clone, dropping it immediately, then swung it into one beside it. "I can't recall the last time I fought alongside my friends like this! Actually... I don't think I ever have." He took out another one and noted how well they were doing. "And honestly, this doesn't seem to be much of a challenge."
Undyne had taken up her spear and drove it through the face of a copy threatening her. "I know," she said quietly, "and that bugs me. What's she gonna do? Throw her whole stupid clone garden at us?"
"Well, this sucks... my clones are even wussier than these losers," Flowey muttered off in the distance. "You want something done right, a Flowey has to do it herself."
Frisk had been swatting at the occasional root snaking towards her, and she was worried too. Chara sounded very confident, and it didn't seem like she was bluffing. "Guys," she said warningly, "keep your senses sharp. I bet round two is about to-"
The flooring exploded from beneath them, throwing them aside. But Frisk found herself atop some sort of mass thrusting upward, and began to roll off. She grabbed frantically for some sort of grip, not sure what was going on, and held onto something soft for dear life. Her breath choked in her throat when she found herself dangling from a huge petal, gaping into the face of an immense Flowey, grinning malevolently at her. "Heeyy, angel cakes. I thought it was time for a face to face." She wrapped the horrified girl in a spiky tentacle, growling, "Let go of my petal, you little shit!"
"FRISK!" Undyne screamed, unable to think clearly for a moment. The others scrambled to her side, staring up at the sight in horror. She had to be thirty feet tall, and as thick as a redwood! This couldn't have gone any worse.
"W-what do we do!" Papyrus wailed.
"You listen to me gloat, you idiot!" Flowey laughed derisively, plucking Frisk from her petal. "Don't you know how this works? Watch a movie sometime! Oh wait, you won't get a chance to because I'm gonna kill you all!"
Undyne manifested a huge spear in her hand. Frisk heard it clearly, calling over her shoulder, "No, don't! You can't!"
"That's riiight," Flowey gloated at them. "You don't dare turn me into fertilizer because if you destroy me, you kill Asriel." Her face began to extend, transforming into a warped golden image of the Caryna child. "And Frisky will be soo uunhaappiee." She leaned forward to nibble on the cringing girl's head.
"Don't you friggin' dare!" Undyne snarled, aiming her spear with deadly intent.
"Oh, just say it!" she chided, her face shifting back. "Besides, I'm not gonna kill my little angel here. Not yet. I want to have some fun first. But if you do something stupid..." She squeezed the helpless girl tightly, causing her to cry out in pain, her message clear. "She pops like a blood sausage."
"No! No! Have fun, have fun!" Papyrus exclaimed anxiously. "Just... not that fun."
"Pa-pyrus..." Undyne growled through clenched teeth.
"Thanks! I think I will," Flowey said with a murderous grin.
"No!" Frisk cried as spiked tentacles erupted from the already ruined floor to grab the three struggling Monsters, lifting them all up to her level.
"Yyyeesss," Flowey said with glee. "I want all your friends to attend this party."
"Remind me next time to have a colonoscopy instead," Sans quipped.
"Undyne! Papyrus!" Frisk cried, reaching for them, craning the other way to see the last of her friends. "Sans!"
"All present and accounted for," Flowey said mockingly, bobbing them up and down. "Check check check."
"Let them go, please!" Frisk begged the monstrosity.
"Let me think about it," Flowey teased. "In the meantime, this one has a lot of toys on her! Oh, but I don't like this one." She plucked the pistol from its holster and threw it clattering to the floor below. "Darn, didn't go off... but what are all these!"
"Hey knock it off - stop it!" Undyne protested, thrashing around as the tentacles probed her rudely.
She looked utterly humiliated when Flowey laughed raucously at her. "What! You didn't mind this at all when I was a guurl!"
Frisk gasped in shock, not at the revelation, but the sheer cruelty and meanness of this demonic fiend. She withered inside at the abuse her friend endured just a few feet away, unable to do a thing for her. There was a pop, then another, as Flowey pulled the pins on smoke grenades, lighting up with flares as multicolored smoke engulfed her. Undyne began coughing hoarsely from the smoke. While no problem in the open air, a foot away from her face it was cloying with the stink of dry vapors. And then they heard a different kind of noise, a hiss like a fuse. The others cringed as she cried frantically, "Oh my God - shit! Shit!" There was the sound of something flung off in the dark as she exclaimed, balling up, "Duck duck DUCK!"
It made a loud series of bangs, brilliant pyrotechnic stars shooting off from several points, and fortunately out of range. A white phosphorus cluster grenade, and it stank of seared metals. "Wow, that was preettie," the creature said in a cute voice, bringing the fish girl up to her face. "Was that meant for me?"
She glared back in disdain. "What d'you think, you overgrown pansy!" She wasn't about to let the monstrosity get away unscathed and gave Flowey a hard boot to the face. They all gasped in shock, knowing that was a really bad idea, but Undyne was long past caring.
"OW! Why you little..." She pounded the helpless Salmian into the ground savagely. "You! Have! An! Attitude! Problem! Black 'n blue now, aren'cha!"
"NO! Stop it, please!" Frisk wailed, her heart breaking. This was so horribly wrong!
"Fine!" the giant flower growled, flinging Undyne away. "I'll switch to these two!" She slammed them into the flooring mercilessly as well, their cries of agony cutting deep into the poor girls soul. "I'll have to say, you guys really are tough sons of bitches!"
"Damn it to hell..." Undyne groaned feebly, lying against the wall. "That hurt... a lot... work, you stupid body, work!"
Frisk sobbed bitterly, fighting tears away so she had a hope of seeing clearly. This couldn't be the Destiny they had hinted at, it was terrible! "Please, stop! I'll do whatever you want-!"
She did stop, but was just getting started on the girl. "I'm not going to kill them yet, stupid. I want them to see what I do to you! But I want some questions answered first. How the hell did you know I was Chara? Why are you so old? Where is everyone!"
She shook her head at the insane creature. This was such a horrible mess, she was ready to do something desperate, the most desperate thing she could think of. "What difference does all that make? Listen... I'll give you what you want. I know what it is, what you really want. Let them go... and you can have my SOUL."
"Wha-? No!" Undyne yelled as loud as she could, the cries of the skeletons mingled with her. And though her face was the most emotional, the one who perhaps upset her the most was Sans. He seemed devastated at her choice.
"Whaa...? You...? You would... give it up willingly?" Flowey gaped at her in disbelief and delight for a time. And then she began to laugh. She shook from it. It grew louder, wilder, more insane, till it became the most horrible sound she had ever heard. She held the miserable girl up to her face till those dreadful, hateful eyes filled her vision. "YOU REALLY ARE AN IDIOT.
"But... I like you, Frisk. That's a very friendly gesture. I might even let you exist within me, with your idiot crybaby of a brother," she said, lifting her body up to look it over luridly. She felt as violated as if she had been molested like Undyne. "Oh, wait... check that, I like this body of yours. It's pretty. I bet you never gave it to anyone yet. What a gift. Now... how to get inside it... there are so many wonderful ways to take that precious SOUL of yours-"
"Not you," Frisk interrupted, filled with faith and determination. "Asriel can have it."
"What the hell?" she snarled, then noticed a little black cylinder in her hand. "What's that!"
Undyne managed to catch sight of it, even groveling on the floor, and laughed. "You crazy kid... such a gutsy move."
It was Undyne's mace. She sprayed the monster with it right in the eyes. Flowey screamed and cursed and thrashed, and then she withered inside as she felt something she had never, ever expected. "What... the hell...!"
Frisk grabbed a petal and pulled her way right up to the monstrosity's face, then plunged her arms deep into the mass of florets. She thrust her leg into it too, and hooked it on the hard ring encircling the huge face so she would stay put, screaming, "Asriel! Grab my hands! Asriel, hurry for God's sake hurry!"
There was a light... perhaps a pair of them in the darkness... and love as he hadn't known for ages... something was happening that he had waited through an eternity of darkness for... that he had feared would never be... and yet, there it was, beckoning to him! He felt such relief, such joy...
But... no... as always, no... then they were gone...
Frisk's heart plummeted as Flowey pulled her away, so close... so very close... she could practically feel him near... And then she cried out in alarm as the monster flung her down, smashing her into the floor. She had never felt such pain in her life, all through her form. She reflected in her dazed state that if anything wasn't broken, she would be very, very lucky. The others were screaming frantically, but she was so confused and distraught, it didn't register, it didn't matter. Nothing mattered anymore. She had failed...
And then the wicked fiend lifted her up to its evil face to glare at her again. "You clever little shit! Nice try! Getting close like that, I'll give you credit! But I have news for you! Your precious Asriel is gone! You lost before you even got to bat! How does it feel, knowing it was all for nothing!"
She cried bitterly, so heartbroken, she just wanted it to end. But... no, wait... Chara was wrong. She felt his presence. It was real. He still dwelt in there somewhere, somehow. And He wouldn't lie to her, wouldn't lead her on a meaningless quest which was over before it even began. She gathered her wits and looked back with unnatural calm. "You're wrong. And, please... if you'll just stop and listen... Chara, you can be saved too."
"I don't want to be saved!" she exclaimed shrilly. "I like this form! Asriel hated it, but he was an idiot! And I killed him for it! It's my body now! I beat the living hell out of you four with it, didn't I! To hell with your Human body! But guess what? You don't have to give me your SOUL, I can just take it! Even better, I really can take a piece of you with me! Your heart is tied directly into your SOUL. I just have to eat it!" She poised a sharp, deadly looking tentacle over her breast. Frisk tried to struggle, but the plant tendrils held her fast, and her eyes fixed on that deadly brown spike poised above her heart as she quivered in mortal terror. "Don't fight your destiny, Frisk!" Chara told her mockingly. "It's dinner time for Flowey, you little loser-!"
"Frisk! DUCK!"
It was Sans. She curled up as best she could, and then-
Death, blinding, painful, lethal, it was right next to her, DEATH!
She had never been so close to a Gaster Blaster beam before, and it was dreadful. She could feel it burning her SOUL. But... a Gaster Blaster? That could only mean...
Her eyes opened and saw nothing. Flowey was gone. Her face had been blasted to nothing. Only the smallest of bits of it were left, one lone petal clinging to the remains, like a grotesque lolling tongue. She began to shake, to quiver, shivering hard. She was having a seizure as her heart broke from the devastating reality of what happened. She didn't notice as the massive stalk began to falter, the grip of the tendril around her weakening. It didn't matter.
"I have you, I have you!" Papyrus called out as he tried to get under her, the corpse of the monster collapsing, and just managed to catch her as the tendril fell across him. But that look on her face... her body, shaking hard... he felt torn up inside. "F - Frisk?" He couldn't wrap his innocent head around what had just happened.
"Hey, kid," Sans said to her gently, "come on, will ya? Say somethin'."
"Give her... to me," Undyne groaned, shambling towards them. Her heart twisted for the poor girl. She looked to be in really bad shape. But... over Chara? Why?
"Well... are you all right?" Papyrus asked in concern.
"Never... better," she gasped out, reaching for the helpless girl. When he hesitated, she growled, "Come on! She's in shock... I gotta snap 'er out of it!" She gathered the quivering girl to her gently, beginning in a soothing voice, but then was more forceful. "Frisk? Frisk... Frisk! Girl, come on! Talk to me-!"
She pushed out of the warrior's arms, stepping gingerly towards the massive trunk of the unliving monster. The monster that once was the vessel for a little brother she never had a chance to know. And now... she never...
No... it can't be... this was wrong, all wrong... this didn't happen... it wasn't real... This was meant to be? This was their great Destiny? No. It was a lie. All of it was a lie. A horrible, rotten, mean lie. It was all for nothing. Nothing. She wasn't pure. She had no faith. She really was a fallen angel. But it didn't matter. Nothing mattered anymore. Because she had failed. In the worst way possible. She wanted to die. Just die.
"Hey, kid," Sans said to her plaintively. "Come on, will ya? I had to do it... she was about to-"
She whirled on him with the most hateful glare he had ever seen, and she slapped him, hard. That was devastating, and he felt every bitter, raging emotion of it. But what she said next was worse. "He was there... he was right there... and you killed him!"
"Wuh... what?" he mumbled out. "Y-you can't mean... that..."
She couldn't handle it anymore. She gave out a blood curdling, deafening shriek that chilled them all to the bone. The whole place shook from it. She collapsed to the floor in mind killing blackness.
Undyne gathered the unconscious girl in her arms, and she was shaking now. "What? You mean... all this work... all this pain... all this fate... destiny... our determination... all of it... for nothing? And... we killed him?" She couldn't handle it either, and threw her head back, screaming herself.
"WHY!"
She lay in her bed, her pillow damp with tears. She was numb, completely numb. She stared at the ceiling vacantly, in the room she once loved. But love was gone from her world now. Nothing mattered. She had failed him. Again. And he was gone. Gone...
Toriel sat beside her, torn with sympathy and worry for her precious child. She had exploded at the others when they showed up at her door in the middle of the night with her poor daughter in this state. It was a simple enough matter in the internet age to figure out that what she had been told was a load of malarkey. She had worried herself sick over her disappearance, and grew frantic when she couldn't contact the police, as they were crawling through the abandoned ruins of the underworld, beyond reach. Even Sans was missing, and his Joke Page was no comfort to her.
She tried to force Asgore to go driving around looking for them, but he wisely, patiently told her that they were probably out at a late night concert or something. He wasn't about to tell his puritanical wife that they might be clubbing at all hours of the evening. There were no reports of accidents or incidents, and so it was best to just wait for them to show up, whenever that was. He also wasn't going to inform her that he had caught the internet warning about Mt Ebott. Her soul was worked up enough as it was.
And then the group arrived after 3 am with Frisk, awake but unresponsive, and Toriel was livid. Her worst fears had been confirmed and then some. After giving them a good chewing out, she "suggested" tersely for them to leave.
"B-but, your honor," Papyrus began hesitantly, "what if Frisk needs us... for whatever reason she might still want to?"
"I am not a judge - and you should be very glad of that fact!" she exclaimed. "But... if she should wish to speak with you, it will be allowed. It would otherwise be best if you waited some time to see us again, all of you. What you did without informing me... us, is extremely troubling, and foolish of you."
"Yes, ma'am," the wounded Salmian murmured forlornly.
She gave her a disdainful look. "And Undyne... you, of all people..."
"I... I know, ma'am, it's all my fault. Don't blame them."
She grunted, and somehow it seemed as angry as any of her punishing words. "You are all to blame. Now... please leave my home. I must see to my daughter."
That was the last word, and they turned to go. Papyrus bowed slightly, murmuring, "I'm sorry, your majesty." She had forsaken all regal honorifics, but this time, she said nothing.
"Sans," she called quietly. The short, squat skeleton was lingering behind the others, and stopped at the door, turning slowly to face his former Queen. "Of all my people, my subjects, I felt when I came to know you that I could trust you most of all." She gave him a penetrating but anxious look. "What happened down there?"
"I... can't answer that, your majesty... not tonight," he replied in a somber voice that made her feel dreadful. "It hurts too much. I'd... better go." In spite of her vexation, she reached for him wordlessly, sadly, as he departed, closing the door behind him.
So she gazed down sorrowfully at her once lively, happy daughter who was reduced to a hollow shell. She had been about to rush Frisk to the hospital, but to her alarm, her daughter refused medical care, insisting she wasn't worth the effort. Her curiosity ate at her like an ulcer. She was a woman and a mother, after all. She rubbed the girl's hand softly, murmuring, "My dear, precious child... I wish you would tell me what troubles you so."
At last she spoke, and what she said made her mother gasp in shock. "Flowey... was there..."
"Frisk! And you remained there with that monstrosity? Even with the others there... what were you think...!" And then her voice trailed off as her daughter's wording caught her attention. "Was?"
She remarked dryly, "You won't have to worry about her anymore."
Yet another puzzle piece. How many were there? "Her?"
"Chara," Frisk muttered sourly. "I... went to save him. And I failed..."
"Him...?" she began, then clasped her hand to her muzzle, choking back a cry as another tear ran down her daughter's cheek. After all this time, the love she cherished for her son was still a very tender memory, especially with the way they lost him. "Darling, Asriel..." she began haltingly. It took a moment to settle her voice. "He has been gone much too long a time. I am sure he is in Heaven, at peace now."
"Yeah... now he is..."
"Now?" Toriel repeated vacantly. "I do not understand." And suddenly, she didn't want to.
Remember your promise
"What's the point of a promise that's broken for me?" Frisk grumbled bitterly. Toriel could only gaze on her daughter with a blank expression.
I Made You For A Purpose... Fulfill It... Act Purely... Do Great Things In My Name...
"Was I not pure enough? You told me-" she snapped, sitting upright and shouted to the ceiling in accusation, "You lied to me!"
"You... what?" Toriel asked in bewilderment. Then it became clear to her, and she grasped the girl firmly, turning her to face the astonished woman. "Frisk Dreemurr! You do not speak to God in disrespect like that! We owe Him for our very existence!"
The poor girl was clearly beyond mere distress. "But mom... I talked to Him, just as sure as I'm talking to you. A long talk. And He told me... He promised me... that if I just... they could be saved... both off them... oh, mama... daddy..." She lay her head in her mother's lap and began crying all over again. She hadn't meant to tell her this, but she could hold it in no longer. It was sheer agony.
Toriel's heart practically stopped beating as she sobbed, "Ohh, Frisk... not again... n-not again... oh my Lord..."
Asgore came in, dragging a kitchen chair behind him. He had been listening to it all, in spite of knowing that some mother-daughter alone time was in order. But this was too much to bear. He wrapped the two of them up in his great, strong arms which felt very weak just then, and cradled them as they all wept.
Papyrus halted at the steps to the front door as his brother trudged somberly towards the back of the house. Alphy's electric car was still out front which meant she was yet toiling away at this ungodly hour. Assuming she was still awake. "I am going to bed," he informed Sans wearily. "I will lay awake all night, so do not bother me, please."
He nodded faintly. "Yeah... I, uhh... prob'ly do the same thing. Uhm, catch ya later, bro. Much later. Man, I need a stiff one..."
"I have a feeling I need one of those too," Papyrus murmured, looking to the sky. It was disappointing how many stars were visible during summer, but then that was one more thing making Christmas special. He hoped this Christmas would still be special. "I... don't suppose you could make this right, somehow."
The one directly overhead winked at him.
"I don't suppose you could explain just how?" he added, but he was met with silence. "Well... stars aren't much for conversation, are they? But tell God for me, will you? Besides..." He looked down the road towards a familiar house he had just been thrown out of. "I believe someone needs Him a lot more than I do."
Sans gazed with a smirk to the large golden heap lying before the open side of the mystery machine. Alphys had worked at her task until she could no longer keep her eyes open, and was lying on her stomach surrounded by disconnected cables, hoses, and cylinders reflecting all manner of colors. This was some pretty arcane science they were tinkering with. "Heya, Alph... night shift's over."
She barely stirred, mumbling in her sleep, "You sure abou'... those veloci'ies... oh wai'... now I geddit..."
He grunted a syllable in comment, and draped a tarp over her for a blanket. "Sweet dreams, Doc. Think maybe you could work out those entanglement intersects for me while you're at it? Would sure come in handy. I mean... if I can just get a fix on Gaster, maybe I can still rescue one of 'em." He didn't know if that would sink in or not, but it was a seed planted. He turned off the overhead lights, leaving a table lamp on for her.
She frowned, murmuring, "Entanglemen' vectors... you know zat's not my forte... oh, Gasser... wow... negative values? I never sawr it like that..."
Undyne sat on the edge of her bed, too upset to sleep. She looked idly at her phone for the twentieth time, at the last encouraging message from Alphys. "One-thirty... ehh, she's probly laid out. She never pulls an all nighter, doesn't have the stamina."
But she needed to talk to someone badly, someone to air out her soul, after yesterday went as horribly out of control as any day in her life. She let out a heavy breath. Even thought much of her body had mended itself, she was still sore after her pummeling that night, and would probably suffer for it today. But it was nothing compared to the ache in her soul. Everything was going so well... it felt like, even at that awful climax when it looked like Flowey... Chara was going to eat Frisk for lunch, it tuned so completely around. It felt like a sure thing, that they had won!
And then Sans jumped the gun, something he rarely did, and blew it all to Hell. That was her job, to win by causing some horrible catastrophe in the process, and she would have, too. "Poor Sansy... eh, it happens to the best of us," she muttered.
But Frisk... why her? Why? Why were You so mean to her like that?
She looked out her window, above the glow of the twin cities, at the stars just above it, gleaming so serenely. Why wasn't Life like that? So many things to question in this world. Why some stupid grudge or misunderstanding between them and the Humans caused a war. Why they were beaten so handily at the end. Why the Humans were so cruel as to seal them in a cave indefinitely. Why Asriel had to die. Why Asriel had to die again. What happened to her poor friend, the first day together with the squirt in almost a year. "And why You had to crush them both!" she snapped. "I don't friggin' understand! What's the point!" She threw her hands in the air. "Me, I can see that. But Frisk? Why her? I can't imagine a more perfect, cool Human. Why did You... hurt her... so...?" She had to stop. She was getting so worked up, she wanted to cry.
Everything happens for a Reason
Sometimes, those Reasons are unclear
But in time, some of them might be known
"Is that You?" she asked the sky, then looked down sadly. She reflected on those accusations that had pelted her soul like spears in the Hall of Judgment. Especially...
It hurt badly at the strangest moments. She could see kids playing a hundred times. But once in a while, a look in one of their eyes, or a scream, and... she could remember it all vividly. She had only done it twice. Sans did four of them, and three of his were teenagers. They worked together, one to slay, one to catch the SOUL, and it took a warrior to be the partner, a chief warrior. One who was supposedly strong enough to handle such a gruesome task, and she thought she was. Two times, she gave Sans a break from their Human hunt because it was beginning to affect him. But, how are you supposed to handle something like that? How they looked when she speared them, the terror, the pain, at having their lives gored out by a big strong warrior who pretended she didn't give a damn. For God's sake, how do you slaughter a child... and not feel it, deep, like a stab wound?
"I thought it was the right thing..." she choked out. "I didn't know...!"
I told you
She huffed out a sharp breath. "Yeah... and I didn't listen. Had a job to do. And I did it. Why they paid me the big gold, do the tough, messy stuff. But what do I do? It hurts now... real bad, after today. I can't stand it... it's tearin' me up! Can't You take it away?"
Repent
She coughed grimly. "What... just say I'm sorry? I've been sorry." But something was revealed to the warrior. "Yeah... I can't let go, can I? Can't forgive myself. God... how? I don't s'pose... You could help me with that?"
A star above the horizon winked at her.
She gazed at it somberly for a time. She knew it was a distant ball of hot gas, but right now, it was all she had. "Do you... like me, at all?"
It glimmered at her.
"Hey, listen... assuming You're listening anyhow, Big Guy... this has hurt a lot of people, people a lot better than I am. Could you... fix this somehow? For them? For the Royals? For Frisk? Please? Don't you love her? I'm asking nice."
The star continued twinkling.
"Yeah... wish upon a star, right?" she muttered, shifting on the bed, and a squeak sounded horribly like a child's scream. She saw Asriel lying on the ground, lifeless, with six other children covered in blood, and she couldn't handle it. Tears ran down her cheeks, mingling with Frisk's, and she knew what her friend was enduring. She buried her face in her hands and wept for all of them.
Why? Why is life so mean sometimes? Why?
Why...
The girl lay in her bed, staring through the ceiling at nothing. The ache in her soul was still agony, but she was dull to it now. She was gradually coming to terms with it. She would have to, if she was going to maintain any sort of sanity.
She had no silly illusions that the outcome might not be exactly what she dreamed for him, though this was the last conclusion she expected to see. But, as much as she hated the phrase, it was meant to be. She was resigned to accept whatever happened, but one way or another, she had been determined that he would know true Peace. And... this was as close as he would get, as anyone would get. He had decided, for whatever reason, this was what happened. His fate sealed with a merciless ray of Death.
They would go on living. The pain would slowly dwindle. The sun would shine in their lives again. But a hole, a wound, would be there in her SOUL. And she would never, ever see Him the same way again, not in this life. So loving, and yet so aloof, so cruel...
Asriel... poor, innocent, big-hearted Asriel... why did it have to end this way for him? Why couldn't anything else have happened? Why couldn't she have died for him instead? Why? Why...
Eventually, it all became a blur that faded to merciful darkness.
But then, she saw something... heard something...
"...Amazing! It actually worked! You're a genius! I bet they think I'm really dead! Idiots. What did you call it again?"
QUANTUM ENTANGLEMENT
A PROPERTY WHICH HELPS HOLD
THE UNIVERSE TOGETHER
THERE IS A FLAW
A STRANGE ANOMALY WHICH -
"Oh, shut up with your stupid theories. All I care about are results. Just make it work - and better! That friggin' hurt! But even now, this is great! As long as they think I'm only using clones, next time they'll be in for a real surprise!"
. . .
WHERE IS ASRIEL?
"... He's around."
AND IF I SHOULD NEED HIM?
"Then, brain trust, you might just have to work around the issue."
. . .
YOU MIGHT CONSIDER WHY
YOU WILL NOT GO INTO
THE HALL OF DESTINY
"... Maybe becaaause... there's nothing there? Maybe you should consider why I tolerate your presence and give you purpose and promise to bring you back, so piss off with your annoying remarks!"
. . .
THERE IS A REASON
WHAT GOES AROUND
COMES AROUND
WHAT WAS ONCE LOST
SHALL AGAIN BE FOUND
(RIGHT, FRISK?)
Her heart pulsed, hard... with the faintest of hopes...
"Who the hell are you telling nursery rhymes to?"
. . .
ANOTHER NOTHING
"... Don't screw with me, you weirdo! You need me, remember?"
. . .
I SUPPOSE
(FRISK . . . LOOK, KEEP LOOKING)
Oh... my God... could he be... where? Where do I look! Please, tell me! Guide me!
The view shifted from a blurry room to an ink black void... a voice in the dark, small, young, afraid...
"Who... who are you! Mommy? Daddy? Were you there before? Please, help me! She... swallowed me! I've never been here before! It's so dark! I'm scared! Please talk to me! I need you! Please don't leave me! I'm scared I'm scared I'M SCARED!"
She sat up in her bed, terrified out of her wits, and screamed at the top of her lungs.
"ASRIEL!"
Many eyes, all around her, opened wide in alarm...
Author's notes.
The reason Undyne is so against being hugged is only partly from all the ordinance strapped to her. Police are trained to keep people beyond arms length from them when on duty, because incidents with fights could go very badly. They don't like incidents.
I know there is/was a lot of debate on what the deal was with the Human hunting and SOUL harvesting, and this is how I see it going down. I can't imagine King Fluffybuns hunting down kids and skewering them with his trident. I also can't imagine either Sans or Undyne killing them without being scarred over it, particularly Undyne, doing it by herself. She may be a butch girl, but she's still a girl, and has a heart.
This is the end of my Episode 1 of the game. Assuming I actually make it. I keep putting off working on it because a game even as basic as UNDERTALE or DeltaRune is a lot of work. Particularly for a novice who has never done it before. Like Toby, I would have to do it all, from graphics to dialog to fight mechanics to music. Which is a lot of "to"s. But one thing I am pretty okay at is writing, so I'll keep working on the fic till the happy end. And I hate sad endings, so there won't be any unsatisfying loose ends like the end of UNDERTALE. It will probably be a little weird, but in a good way. Hopefully. At least that's the plan, but then this thing is partly writing itself, as if I was documenting something actually happening in another universe nearby... or not.
And now for a few words from our local celebrity (pardon me, I'm sick today).
Metaton's notes.
(Dramatic show music plays)
Welcome once again, my darlings, to another edition of...
METATON'S PREVIEW OF UPCOMING ATTRACTIONS!
In our next exciting chapter...
Frisk sneaks around!
She makes a generic friend!
She plays dress-up!
She jaywalks right into traffic! Kids, YOU be sure and look both ways first...
All her family and friends lose their freaking marbles!
Papyrus is so upset, he sleeps on duty!
Frisk tries snowboarding! Without a snowboard!
Papyrus wails out an All Points Bulletin!
Frisk sees someone scary!
She sees someone SCARIER!
She gets way too scared... no, it's not Toby, you Philistines.
A daring rescue from... Someone! No, it's still not Toby...
Frisk gets benched! The hard way!
She has a long talk with her friends!
She wants to have a deep theological discussion!
. . .
Well, my adoring fans, now you must be patient for Chapter 4!