Yeah, I'm not dead. Don't count me out just yet, you lil' sh!ts. I'm still kickin'. Hard.
Thanks go to WhoWritesThisCrap, KZJester, BadDRUMMERboy15, pokemon122000, I guest as much, Lynja Fairy, L3gendaryUmbraFam991, SirSwaggggg, Slow and Strady Turtle, Pro Noob, Theforcesofevil, Stormpal, TehUnoman, DannyPhantom619, Anime Kyuubi, and Little Liar.
Disclaimer: I do not own Undertale. I do, however, own DoubleTale.
Black.
Frisk's eyes struggled open, finding themselves laying in a blank, dark abyss.
Around them were hundreds of screens, portals almost.
They stood slowly, walking on nothing as they made their way towards one of the portals.
It appeared to show Monster Kid flying forward across the Judgement hall, breathing a blast of flames at Cter, who threw up one arm, a wall of computer keys appearing and blocking the blast, Cter grinning wide.
"What the..?" Frisk reached slowly for the portal, when they felt a hand on their shoulder.
They looked to the hand, yelping when they saw it was made of fire.
When they jumped back, they heard laughter.
"#######, ##### ###." He spoke in the sound of crackling flames, confusing Frisk.
He cleared his throat, shaking his head.
"My apologies. I forgot that most humans don't understand that language nowadays..." The fire elemental shook his head.
"Who are you..?" Frisk arched a brow at the mystery elemental.
"#######." He answered, Frisk looking more confused.
"... I suppose you can call me The Man Who Speaks In Flames." He said, pushing up his cracked glasses.
He wore a glitching lab coat, his legs just a burst of flames, moving slowly, like water. Ironically.
One crack ran up his face from his right eye, the other moving down from his left.
"Come." He turned around, walking down the black void.
"But- wait!" They rushed after him. "Where are we? Where are we going?" Frisk caught up with The Man Who Speaks In Flames, titling their head to the side as they looked at him.
"We are in a space between time. Your skeletal friend brought you here and created his own little arena. But upon returning the souls, it was destroyed, leaving just the usual void." he explained.
"You put on quite the show." He glanced over at them, smirking lightly. "I thought for sure Cter had you beat."
"But in the end, you and your skeleghost friend came through."
"You could see Sans too?!" Frisk said in surprise. "But not even Papyrus could see him..."
"Hm." The man's lips curved up ever so slightly. "I see things that gods dare not look at, young one."
"Okay so... That's how you know Cter's name too, right? Constant eaves dropping?"
"His name? Not even I know that." The man shook his head.
"Wha- but you just said it!" Frisk said, confused and annoyed.
"Cter is not Cter's real name." He said is if it was incredibly common knowledge.
"What?!" Frisk was getting more confused each passing second. "Then what is?"
The Man Who Speaks In Flames shrugged.
As the two walked by another portal, an older Cter, looking to be in his early thirties, drank from a flask, jumping back from a slash sent by an older Chara.
The two stopped before a timeline showing an obliterated Throne Room, a Chara and a Cter leaning tiredly against one of the remaining walls floating in the empty space.
The man gestured to the scene.
"Whoa... What happened there?" Frisk asked with childlike wonder, watching as the Chara sighed, throwing the now unconscious Cter onto their back and jumping through a floating door.
"Pray you're never in a scenario in which you find out." Hands behind his back, The Man Who Speaks In Flames began away from the portal.
"... Enough lollygagging." He said as Frisk pulled their attention from the destroyed universe, racing to catch up with him.
"I need to get you home."
"But... Why am I still out here in the first place?" Frisk asked.
"You're a curious one, aren't you?" ####### arched a brow over at them.
Frisk shrugged.
"Well, when you fought Papyrus, you did so as just a soul. This is why you could see Sans. It was you as a soul rebelling against his attempt at absorbing you."
"Whoa..." Frisk stared with stars in their eyes.
####### snickered in amusement.
"So when you won, Papyrus returned the souls to their bodies. But since he didn't have control over yours, you remained out here."
Before Frisk could ask yet another question, ####### came to a stop, frisk bumping into him.
"here we are." ####### said, gesturing to a portal before them.
Everyone crowded around Frisk's body, expressions riddled with worry.
Well, apart from Cter, who stood further back, pupils missing as he stared at Frisk's less than conscious body.
"You should really get in there." He stepped aside. "They all look pretty worried."
"Thanks for all your help!" Frisk smiled at him, before looking to be thinking. "Hey, why don't you come in with me?" They arched a brow at him. "I'm sure everyone would be really glad to meet the guy who got me home safe!"
"... I'd love to but..." ####### placed one hand on the portal, and it was zapped back, his hand shimmering for a moment.
Frisk frowned, but ####### smiled lightly.
"... Don't worry, one day I'll pull myself together enough to visit." ####### assured, and Frisk smiled lightly.
"I'm gonna hold you to that!" Frisk said, and ####### laughed once more.
"Oh! One more thing." He said as Frisk was about to step into the portal.
"Please tell Cter I said hi." ####### asked, and Frisk nodded, smirking happily and stepping through the portal.
"C'mon Frisk..." Mettaton said with worry, kneeling at Frisk's side.
"Frisk, if you wake up, I'll make a song about you." Napstabot bargained, worry clear on his face.
"Okay!" Frisk suddenly jumped up, smiling as napstabot screamed and fell back, Cter bursting into hysterics.
Despite having metal skin, Napstabot found a way to blush in embarrassment as Cter laughed and pointed.
"Frisk!" Alphys cried out, quickly hugging the child.
"What'd I miss?" Frisk looked around from Alphys' arms.
"Well, Monster Kid cried." Cter grinned, pointing at Monster Kid with his thumb.
"I did not!" Monster Kid stomped. "I just... Caught something my eye, is all..."
"Yeah. Tears."
"At least I don't drink cough syrup!"
"Hey man, you leave my cough syrup outta this."
"Oh, Cter!" Frisk said, quickly remembering something.
"Yeah, bucko?" Cter looked over at them. Though they knew Cter'd never admit it, the tiredness in his grin showed just how worried he was about them.
"Umm..." Frisk looked to be thinking, tapping their chin with one finger.
"####### says hi!" They smiled at their attempt at imitating The Fire Man's words.
Everyone looked confused, but Cter's eyes just widened, his grin falling to a mouth open in shock.
"... You mean... #######, right?" Cter said, eyes still wide. Frisk was shocked by how well he imitated the sound, along with the rest of the room.
"Yeah, that's it!" Frisk smiled and nodded.
"..." Cter's hair covered his eyes as he smiled. Not grinned - smiled.
"... Thanks for relayin' the message, kiddo."
"Cter, what are they talking about?" Chara looked over at Cter, confused.
"It's not important." Cter grinned once more. "What's important is that the barrier's open and we can get the HFIL outta here."
"But before we do that..." Alphys looked to Frisk. "Frisk, you should go visit all the friends you've made. Some of them were here for awhile, but they figured it'd be best to give you some space."
"Don't worry, we won't head up until you get back." Undyne smiled lightly.
Frisk nodded, smiling before making their way out the door to the throne room.
As they walked, they felt a vibration go off from their phone, pulling it from their pocket to look at it.
One new Message from Alphys.
Hi, Frisk! It's Alphys! Mettaton installed this new texting thingy on my phone, and him and Cter are helping me figure it out! :)
Frisk smiled to themselves as they walked into the next room, preparing their response when their phone vibrated again.
One new Message from Alphys.
Alphys again! I know you've only been gone for a few minutes, but it feels like forever. I hope you don't get into any trouble out there, lolz.
ainserely, Skpgys.
Frisk arched a brow at those last two words in confusion, once again beginning a response only to be cut off as they entered the next room.
One new Message from Alphys.
Whoops! I didn't mean to say 'ainserely, Skpgys.' I-I meant to say Sincerely, Alphys! I-it's hard to type with claws, you know? Maybe I should get Cter to type for me from now on. He's got scrawny, boney fingers! I'm sure he's great at texting!
"Oh Mom no..." Frisk smiled lightly, closing their eyes for a moment. "Don't trust him with your phone..."
One new Message from Alphys.
Saaaaaah dewd. It's your friendly neighborhood anime nerd. I'm making aaaaaallllll the Instant Noodles. P.S. Cter's fingers are good for more than just texting. ;););););););););););););););););););););););););););)
Frisk's eyes widened, before they burst into hysterical laughter.
"I tried to warn her." They laughed, wiping a tear from their eye.
One new Message from Alphys.
CTER! 0/0 Not in front of the child! Frisk, I-I didn't say a w-word of that!
One new Message from Alphys.
Ayyyy. *Finger guns.*
One new Message from Alphys.
Hi Frisk. It's Cter. I care about my roommate very much.
One new Message from Alphys.
Oh golly I'm being slandered.
One new Message from Alphys.
Hi Frisk. It's Cter. Did you know I have ink tentacles and I like to use them for se ruhgkdjhtsjgfhsjfgsdfeygtfmyrgrdurhgkdfg
Excuse us a moment.
"My new family is made up of sinners..." Frisk smiled, shaking their head.
It took awhile for the next message.
A new Message from Alphys.
Ayyo. It's actually Cter this time. So Undyne asked how me and Alphys know each other. Apparently "We low key bangin' fam." was not the right answer.
One new Message from Alphys.
Alphys thought it was funny.
One new Message from Alphys.
Chara and Undyne did not.
One new Message from Alphys.
Unrelated question, you have any idea how to remove giant red spears? I uh... I'm askin' for a friend.
One new Message from Alphys.
Okay so Chara's revoking my phone privileges for, and I quote, "Being a sinner." And Alphys is busy makin' nice with everyone here. So I guess I'll see ya around, bucko.
Frisk laughed. "Good. He is a sinner." They slipped their phone back into their pocket, looking back to the path ahead.
"... Papyrus has to be hiding around here somewhere." Their expression hardened.
*...
"So it's finally over, then..." Gaster sighed with relief, his bar empty. He figured he wouldn't be serving anyone under the ground again.
Or, he hoped it, at least.
"I like to believe so." Cter said with that same old grin, sipping from his cough syrup.
"You don't seem too upbeat about this, Cter." Gaster arched a brow, placing glasses and cups into a large cardboard box.
"That a joke, Dadster?" Cter arched a brow. "C'mon, I'm the picture of happiness." Cter pushed up on the corners of his grinning mouth.
"Then why do you have that?" Gaster pointed to the bottle of cough syrup in Cter's hand, and Cter glanced over at it.
"... Celebration?" Cter shrugged, winking an eye shut.
Gaster sighed, picking up the box and setting it up onto the counter.
"Come on Cter, what's there to be sad about now?" Gaster asked, concerned. "The barrier's down, we're all free. Frisk didn't hurt anybody, Frisk has taken the power from that flower, and they didn't hurt anyone with it."
"Haven't, not didn't." Cter rose one finger, expression still a mask of happiness.
"I can't trust anyone with that power..." Cter took a sip of his drink, glancing to the side.
"Oh, I get it." Gaster leaned on his elbows on the counter. "This is about you not being as strong as you used to be, right? You don't think you can protect-"
"You think I trust me with that power?" Cter burst into hysterical laughter.
Gaster clearly wasn't as amused as Cter was.
"That's the best joke I've heard all day," Cter gulped down a mouthful of cough syrup. "And that flower flipped my arms line on me a few hours ago. That sh!t was hilarious."
"Cter."
"... Sorry Dadster." Cter's pupils disappeared, his laughter fading. "I'm just... A little pessimistic, is all. I could stop the flower at the end'a the day. I could always pull his petals, crush his stem and make him RESET before it was too late. I could keep those who were most important to me outta harms way. But that kid... If they ever-..."
"..." Cter chugged the rest of his cough syrup.
"... It's been a long trip to get where we are now. Don't let me bring ya down, Dadster." Cter pushed himself out from his stool.
"It might cheer me up if you helped me pack." Gaster smirked lightly at Cter.
"... Oh gee look at the time." Cter did finger guns, falling backwards and disappearing from the bar.
"..." Gaster sighed, shaking his head.
"God help that boy..."
"It sure is strange, isn't it, Sans?" Papyrus stared down at the bed of golden flowers at his feet.
"After all these years, it wasn't even a monster who saved us or released us from the underground. And in the end... It was me trying to stop to stop it from happening..." Papyrus' eyes narrowed, frowning.
"So... How long do you think this ill last?"
"... Papyrus?"
Papyrus flinched, spinning around to face Frisk.
"O-oh! Hello, Frisk! I didn't expect to see you here..." Papyrus glanced to the side. "And while I appreaciate the visit, you don't need to... You don't need to try to cheer up someone like me..."
"Papyrus, no one will be mad at you. They're all... Pretty understanding. Please, you don't have to wallow here-"
"Frisk, please." Papyrus's hands clenched into his pants. "I can't go back. I can't hurt everyone again, I-... I just can't."
"What do you mean..?" Frisk asked, confused and worried.
"Now that I've returned all the souls, I'm empty again. I don't have much longer. I can't go back just to disappear again. It would... It would destroy them."
"It's better if they never know..."
It took Papyrus quite some time to look back up, and when he did, he was surprised to see Frisk still standing there.
"... What are you doing?" Papyrus couldn't help but smile lightly, arching a brow at Frisk. "Are you trying to keep me company?"
Frisk just looked at him with that three lined, DETERMINED face.
"... Nyeheh... I'll take that as a yes." Papyrus's smile grew.
"..."
"You know, Frisk... I'd been wondering why and how I ever confused you for Sans." Papyrus's eyes drifted back to the ground.
"It's not like you look anything like him. You don't act much like him, either. But I think just now... Just now I finally figured it out."
"It's... It's because from the moment I met you I-... I knew that no matter what I did..." Tears built in the corners of Papyrus's eyes.
"No matter what I did, I could n-never make you hate me..."
*. . .
Frisk pulled Papyrus into a hug, which he was quick to return, crying into their shoulder.
"I gotta chill..." Cter ran a hand through his hair, pushing open the door to his home, looking up into the well lighted, homey room that greeted him.
For but a moment, the room was dark, the only light pouring in from the door, giving the darkness an eerie light.
For a but moment, the bare wall across from him had a note pinned on it.
And for but a moment, Cter's heart skipped for a reason he couldn't explain.
Like he was remembering something he had yet to experience.
9999999999
9999999999
9999999999
9999999999
9999999999
Heart racing, Cter placed a hand on his chest, breathes speeding in and out of his flared nostrils.
His breathing calmed begrudgingly, and he closed his eyes for a moment, leaning against the door frame.
Reaching up, he touched his face, as if he needed to make sure it wasn't coated in static.
He looked to his hand, which shook violently, as if he needed to make sure it wasn't coated in blood.
"... Or maybe I need answers." He told himself, eyes narrowing.
Papyrus sighed, waving goodbye to Frisk with a bitter sweet smile.
He turned his back, looking to the flowers once more.
Until he heard footsteps.
"Frisk, you should be being more productive!" Papyrus turned his head to look over his shoulder. "There are better things to do than talk to me-!" Papyrus eyes widened in repressed horror, his words catching in his nonexistant throat and his nonexistent heart pausing in his chest.
"What's goin' on, bucko?" Cter grinned, titling his head to the side. "Why're ya giving me that look?"
"That reminds me of the expression someone would wear when they stare Death in the face." Cter spoke, pupils missing. "Is there somethin' in my teeth?"
Papyrus took a step back, gulping as frigid sweet ran down his bones.
"Hey, relax baby bones." Cter glanced to the side, pupils reappearing. "I'm a friendly guy."
"I-is this about the arm thing?" Papyrus blurted out. "B-because that-"
"Seriously, take a chill pill kiddo." Cter laughed, raising one hand dismissively. "I'm not here to hurt ya. I just wanted to ask you a few questions."
"Conversationally or interrogatively..?" Papyrus asked skeptically.
Cter laughed, shaking his head.
"Well, kiddo..." He looked back to Papyrus, his pupils lost in the vast whiteness consuming his eyes.
"That's gonna depend on how you answer."
Papyrus's back hit the wall, and he was visibly shaking.
Another flash.
Another nonexistent memory.
Cter grunted, placing a hand over his left eye and clenching both eyes shut.
"Sorry, I'm really makin' an effort to be friendly." Cter shook his head, sighing. "But I'm not really in the best place right now."
Cter took a seat in front of Papyrus, crossing his legs and leaning back on his hands.
"Funny thing, I kinda had the singular most unpleasant waking nightmare of my entire life earlier today."
Papyrus looked to the side, frowning as his eyes narrowed.
"Take a seat, kid. You've got some explaining to do."
Papyrus hesitated, but when he remembered Cter's line about the two ways this could go, he took a seat on the ground in front of him.
"I get the feeling you know a lil' more about that nightmare than I do. So elaborate." Cter made a move along motion with his hand. "I've only got 'till that kid gets back to the Underground's exit before people start lookin' for me."
"Cter, please, you shouldn't worry about that now, okay? Everyone's free. Enjoy it." Papyrus looked to Cter with worried eyes.
"If there's one thing I know about DETERMINATION," Cter grit his teeth, leaning in and making Papyrus lean back. "It's that so long as it exists in high levels, no one is free or safe."
"So don't dodge another question, or I might have to get not so friendly with ya."
Papyrus gulped.
"..." Cter sighed. "Sorry, kid. You've got enough on your mind. I don't mean to scare the piss outta ya." Cter's eyes darted to the side.
"But I have to know. What on earth was I seeing?" He looked back to Papyrus, resting his chin in his hand, eyes tired.
"... Look, when I... When I got that power, I saw a lot of things. When you become a god, you gain access to a lot of information." Papyrus's eyes darted to the side. "I saw... A lot of possibilities. A lot of good endings. A lot of... Not so good endings..."
"I showed you the worst outcome. The reality you dread most. And you know what I'm talking about. You've been afraid of it coming true from the moment you realized just how powerful Frisk really is, haven't you?"
Cter just stared with missing pupils.
"To be honest, I don't know if that'll happen. I just... I hope that this ending is the only one they need." Papyrus stared at the ground.
"... So it's just what I thought, then." Cter glanced to the side.
"Cter, you should go be with your friends. Try to enjoy the right now. Don't worry about the future." Papyrus said with concern, and Cter laughed lightly, running a hand through his hair.
"Time's a funny thing, kid." Grinning, he looked to Papyrus. "When it repeats, right now could be this, or it could be..."
White and red. Something in his arms. Vision blurred.
"... Something a little less bright." Cter shrugged, winking his left eye shut.
"... Cter, I want you to be honest with me."
"Can't promise I will be." Cter shrugged, grinning.
"Cter." Papyrus narrowed his eyes.
"You're the one who wanted honestly." Cter's eyes darted to the side, looking proud of his little joke as per usual.
"Cter... How many times have we been here?"
" . . . "
Cter's pupils disappeared. His hands gripped the knees of his jeans.
"... Couldn't say, kid." Cter eventually spoke, pupils refusing to return.
"Sometimes, I'm sure this is the first time. Others, I feel like I've been here a million times over." Cter stared up at the opening in the ceiling, seeing the sun for what could have been the first time in ages or in days.
"I see things when I dream. I see things when I'm awake. I forget things when I dream. I forget things when I'm awake. I remember what hasn't happened, and I forget what has. Honestly? My head's been an unreliable mess since..."
"#######!" Cter reached out, grabbing the sleeve of #######'s lab coat and holding tight, the earth beneath him shaking and the void beneath ####### threatening to swallow the both of them.
"Hold on! I- I can pull you up-!" Another violent shake, crumbs falling from the ceiling and into the depths.
####### said something, but it was replaced with some sort of Dial-Up noise, and the void beneath the two shook, something blasting up from the darkness, Cter's eyes widening as it raced towards his face.
Blood flew though the air.
Cter recoiled, falling back and losing his grip on #######.
"My eyes!" Cter gripped his face, blood running from between his fingers.
"... Since?" Papyrus made a 'move along' motion with his hand.
"... Huh? Oh, what?" Cter's pupils reappeared, and he arched a brow at Papyrus.
"Eh, it's not important." Cter shrugged, standing.
"Anywho, I'll get off your back now. You've probably got a lot on your mind, and I haven't been too helpful in that area." Cter placed his hands in his pockets, making his way towards the exit.
"Wait-! Cter-!"
"Hm?" Cter looked over his shoulder, arching a brow at Papyrus. "Wassup?"
"... I am... Running out of time." Papyrus's eyes narrowed, frown creasing his face.
"... Yeah."
"I don't want to be alone." Papyrus nervously gripped his scarf. "... I'm scared."
"..." Cter just stared at him, pupils missing.
"So how was that trip down memory lane?" Undyne asked with a smile at Frisk, who smiled lightly in return, nodding once.
"I'm ready to go now."
"Well, we're still waiting on Cter." Chara crossed their arms, frowning. "No idea where he ran off to..." They muttered.
"Somebody talkin' sh!t in there?"
They all looked to the doorway, eyes widening.
"Sah dudes?" Cter looked around the room of surprised faces.
"Ugh... No one even says that anymore." Flowey glared up at Cter from the pot in Cter's hands.
"Well, nobody's said that arms thing in years, but you said it earlier." Cter grinned down at Flowey, who's eyes widened.
"And uh to be honest, after you said it..." Cter pulled Flowey up to eye level, winking his left eye shut and grinning wide.
"I've been considering bringin' it back."
Only Flowey caught the split second of red in Cter's eye, and only Flowey flinched.
"Yeah, that's what I thought, ya little..." Cter muttered, bringing Flowey back down to his lap.
"Speakin'a trips down memory lane, amirite?" Cter lifted Flowey a little higher, presenting him to the room. "I mean, if memory lane is a stair case." His eyes darted to the side, grin widening.
"Precisely why I'm curious why you'd bring him back here?" Chara arched a brow at Cter, who shrugged his shoulders.
"Spotted him on my own trip through the Underground. Figured it'd be funny to put him in a pot, make him look like a little cutie." Cter pinched Flowey's cheek, and Flowey hissed at him, making him laugh lightly.
"I hate everyone..." Flowey mumbled, head sinking down towards the dirt of his pot.
"Here ya go, bucko." Cter offered the pot to Frisk. "If ya wanna punt him, or something."
Frisk took the pot, glaring at Cter in a scolding way.
"We do not ubduct talking flowers." Frisk said, holding Flowey close, as if he was some sort of baby. He had this two dots, one line kinda face going on. "And I would never punt someone!"
"Aight man I'll do it." Cter reached for Flowey, and Frisk pulled Flowey away from his hands, shooting a darker glare at Cter.
"Surface. Now." Frisk pointed to the other room, leading to the sunlight.
Cter laughed, stuffing his hands into his pockets and walking past them.
"Okay, mom." He mocked, grinning on his way up.
So they did it. They made their last climb and they reached the top of the mountain. They escaped. They were free.
#### #### ######.
"It's breathe taking, isn't it, everyone?" Undyne smiled, staring out at the setting sun with everyone else.
"I'll say..." Monster Kid managed to say, wonder in his eyes.
"Eh, I've seen better." Cter shrugged, and Chara shot him a glare, jabbing their thumb into his side. Cter gave an obnoxious laugh in response.
Undyne said something about this being a bright new future.
Cter took that with about a gallon of salt.
In fact, he found all of this to be... Fake. He wore that grin like always, but he knew full well this was no reality. Or, at least not a permanent one.
He wasn't sure if this was the first time he'd see the sun, the last, or both, but he knew one thing.
None of this was permanent.
Cter sat in silence, watching the sun set on this day.
On this timeline.
Possibly on his life.
"Pretty amazing, huh?"
"Hm?" Cter looked over his shoulder to Chara. "Huh? Oh, yeah. Can't believe the kid actually managed this."
"Good thing you don't take your job seriously, otherwise this woulda been a lot harder." Chara sat next to Cter, everyone else having gone on ahead.
"Heh. Guess so." Cter shrugged, closing his eyes.
"I guess that feeling you had about the human was wrong, huh?"
"I dunno, they might still try to get us now that our guard is down." Cter joked, grinning over at them.
"Oh I'm sure." Chara rolled their eyes.
"So uh... They'll probably need us back there to help us make piece with the humans before they get too hysterical." Chara said, and Cter waved a hand dismissively.
"Go on ahead without me. I just... Need a minute. Gotta take this in. Never know when you might have a moment like this again, y'know?" Cter smirked lightly as he glanced over at them.
"Alright, I guess." Chara shrugged, climbing to their feet and beginning in the other direction, back down the mountain.
"... Hey, Chara." Cter's voice was hesitant, but they stopped for it anyway, looking back over over their shoulder at him.
"What is it?"
"..." Cter paused, glancing up to the sky. He grimaced, vague memories washing over him.
Hw reached up, touching his face, as if he needed a reminder that it wasn't coated in static.
"Uh... You know that I um..."
"Cter..?"
"... Eh." Cter shrugged over his shoulder at them, grinning like usual. "I forgot."
Their eyes narrowed in irritation. "No you did not!"
"But I did thoooo." Cter's grin widened at their annoyance, his eyes darting to the side.
"Tell me!"
"I would if I could but I can't."
"Why can't you?!"
"I don't remembre friende."
"... You didn't even have anything to say, did you?" Chara's eyes narrowed. "You just did this to irritate me!"
"Who's to say?" Cter shrugged, eyes darting to the side and his grin remaining in place.
Groaning in annoyance, Chara threw their hands into the air, walking in the other direction.
"..." Cter paused for a moment, his grin dropping as he sighed in relief.
"Close one..." He muttered, running a hand through his hair.
RESET 0
Time passed.
Or maybe it didn't.
It's hard to keep track when clocks don't really mean anything.
Was this the same timeline or a different one?
Was it a dream or was it real?
...
It's surprisingly hard to sleep through anxiety attacks.
"Just close your eyes..." Cter told himself, staring up at the ceiling of his dark room, the only lgiht that of the moon.
"When you wake up, it'll be another perfect day in a perfect world with a perfect life..."
Cter's eyes darted to the door as it creaked open, looking to the child poking their head in through the doorway, looking
quiet troubled by something.
"Kiddo, you're supposed to be sleeping." Cter said through the grin he easily put up.
It was a reflex now. Quick, here comes another person! Start lying!
Eugh...
"So are you." Frisk said, shaking Cter from his thoughts.
They weren't wrong. This was the third time Cter had been jolted awake by some vague nightmare.
... Tonight.
"Alright bucko, you just come in here to sass me or what?" Cter questioned, grinning a little wider.
"... I had a nightmare..." Frisk's eyes fell to the floor, holding their shoulder.
Cter's eyebrows raised in slight surprise.
"Well, what was it about?" Cter slid his legs off the edge of the bed, sitting up and patting next to him.
They looked up from the ground to Cter, and they flinched.
"And don't come back."
Their lip quivered, seeing horrid memories of that Lost Soul.
It wasn't the attacks, it wasn't the static covering his face.
It was that one second.
That singular moment where they saw that one burning eye.
It had shown no remorse.
And it hadn't been lying.
"H-hey hey, kid!" Cter said with worry, jumping up from his bed and rushing to their side.
They looked up, sniffling from the tears that had began down their face.
"Calm down." Cter knelt next to them, placing a hand on their shoulder. "It was just a dream."
Frisk sniffled once more, hugging Cter without warning, burying their face in his chest.
Cter's pupils disappeared from the sudden hug.
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Ignoring the strong urge - the fear screaming at him to impale the very same kid who saved him and his friends - Cter returned the hug.
After a few minutes, their sobbing quieted, and Cter patted their back, pulling back away from them.
"You wanna sleep in here tonight?" Cter asked, and Frisk nodded, Cter smiling and kneeling down, letting them hop onto his back.
"Aight, all aboard the Triple Z Express!" Cter said, succeeding in making Frisk laugh, wiping tears from their eyes, smiling lightly.
RESET 1
"Cter? Cter come on! It's twelve and you're still in bed?!"
Cter's eyes slowly opened, feeling something kicking at the foot of his bed.
"We've got a busy day ahead of us!" Chara complained. "You can't waste it all in bed!"
"Every day's a busy day for you, ain't it?" Cter asked groggily, arching a brow at them and grinning tiredly.
"Every day has to be a busy day if we're ever going to capture a human!"
Cter's eyes widened, face draining of what little color it had.
"... Um... Cter?" Chara asked as Cter blinked once or twice, shaking his head. "Are you okay..?"
"... Yeah..." Cter stared at the floor, head down so they couldn't see the horror in his eyes. "I'm all good."
"You don't seem-"
"Alright! You ready for a lit-tastic day, fam?" Cter jumped up, Chara shooting him a glare. They knew he only talked like that to bother them.
"But-"
"Can't drag your feet all day slowpoke! We got work to do!"
Chara growled in irritation.
"Well... At least he's motivated." Chara sighed. "... If only ironically."
RESET 21
"Name's Cter." Cter greeted with a fake smile, ink going back up his sleeve.
Though they weren't dusty, as per usual, they didn't respond much to his antics anymore.
Cter went on with the same things he always said, leading the human towards the conveniently shaped lamp.
Cter couldn't help but wonder as he went through the motions speaking with Chara.
Why didn't they remember? Why was he alone in this? He had Gaster but...
He wanted to tell them. He knew they would believe him. Hell, he might have actually told them before. It all blurred together eventually.
But what would it achieve? More lines of dialogue. That's it. Then it was gone.
He sighed, closing his eyes before resuming his grin.
RESET 77
Cter sat across from Frisk, who stared blankly, waiting for him to speak. They were at the restaurant in NTT Resort.
Cter took another minute, resting his chin in his hand and clicking his finger nails on the table.
"... Kid, I have a question for you." They looked somewhat surprised by his change in dialogue.
"If you... If you had some great power. One that could let you live forever... One that let you relive your best moments... Would you use it?" Cter glanced up at Frisk, eyes dead and sunk in.
"... Yes." They said after a long pause.
"... Heh. I thought you might say that." Cter smiled sadly, closing his eyes for a moment.
"So let me ask a follow up question." Cter looked back to Frisk. "If you knew that power was hurting someone. Maybe a friend..." He glanced to the side.
"If someone who might have been a good friend at some point... If they remembered too. What if they just wanted this to be over? Would you stop what you were doing on their behalf? Or would you put yourself above them?" Cter stared through Frisk as he awaited an answer.
"... Hm." Frisk looked to the side, as if they were really thinking. "For a friend? Yes, of course I would!" Wow, what a fake f#cking smile.
"I would never let someone suffer like that." And Cter thought he was the only one who could lie through his teeth like that.
"... Heheheh..." Cter shook his head, beginning to laugh. Hard.
"Alright, alright." He looked back to Frisk. "Just one more question."
"Shoot." Frisk said, sitting up straight and ready.
"From the moment you were born..." Cter's hair covered his eyes, and a red glow could be seen in the left side of the shadow, piercing through Frisk.
"Has there ever been a point were you've actually told the truth?"
Silence overtook the restaurant.
Everything seemed to pause as Frisk and Cter stared through one another.
It would be soon, Cter was sure of it now.
He could see it in those eyes they looked at him with now.
He knew.
They knew he knew.
And they didn't give a damn.
"... Where's this coming from, Cter?" Frisk broke the silence. "I'll admit, I have been known to stretch the truth every now and again. But finding one person who's never told a lie wouldn't be easy."
"Human beings just... Aren't made to be perfect like that. Everyone lies from time to time." Frisk said, faking care. But why? They might as well be honest and just f#cking grin. Like Cter knows they want to.
"But I've always made a conscious effort not to tell a lie that would hurt someone. That's my answer." Frisk said, frowning in what might have been worry a couple hundred RESETs ago.
Cter frowned, looking down as that red glow disappeared. He sighed, closing his eyes for a moment and looking aside.
"I knew you would say that too..." He stood, back to them as he placed his hands in his pockets.
"Well... Try to do what's right, kiddo." He looked up at the ceiling. "Because someone still cares about you."
And he was gone.
RESET 107
4:00 AM again.
How long would it be sky above and not dirt?
Cter stared out at the overcast sky, leaning on his elbows on the window sill and frowning.
His tired eyes didn't flinch as lightning flickered throughout the sky, grey clouds alight for but a moment.
It began raining as black flashed through the air, and Cter was quickly at the window of the house right next door, staring in through it.
His left eye burning red, he stared at the one who slept there.
The bane of his existence.
The greatest liar he'd ever met.
He'd tallied there sins again and again, and they always came up innocent.
But they weren't.
With another strike of lightening, the Judge was gone, the sinner spared for another day.
RESET ####
"So we're back again." Gaster rested his chin in his hand.
"How many runs is this now?" Cter asked, sitting at the other end of the bar counter.
"I've lost track." Gaster closed his tired eye sockets for a moment.
"This is bad... They're getting bored." Cter's fingers clicked nervously on the counter.
"Frisk is a nice kid, Cter. They would never-"
"They would. Everyone would." Cter's eyes narrowed as he stared down at the counter.
"Don't say that." Gaster said more to himself.
"I can see it, Dadster. I see it in their eyes. They don't react much, and when they do, it's forced. They've been doing small things differently, saying different things, trying different things, but... It won't be enough. They'll do it, Gaster. They'll ki-"
"That's. Enough." Gaster said through gritted teeth, hand slamming down on the counter.
"..." Cter let out a sigh after a moment of silence.
"Well, I've gotta get home. Something tells me I'll see a human tomorrow." Cter smirked weakly over his shoulder at Gaster, his eyes more sunk in dead than usual.
He frowned as he looked forward.
"... Might as well try to sleep."
"I'm home." Cter said, frowning as he pushed open the door to his home, holding a bottle of cough syrup.
He looked around the dark living room, sighing. It was pretty late.
He took a long gulp from his drink before the light flicked on, startling him.
"And where have you been?" Chara crossed their arms, sitting on the couch.
"Oh, just hangin' with Dadster." Cter faked a grin, shrugging.
Chara eyed his drink. "... Unhuh." Their eyes narrowed.
"Wha-? Oh, this?" Cter glanced to his drink. "This is to help me sleep, is all."
"You drink a cap full to help you sleep. You drink directly from it when you're an alcoholic with a roomate who'd murder you if you ever bought any real drinks." Chara stood, frowning.
Cter laughed, shaking his head. "Oh come on. It's cough syrup. You gotta stop taking this so seriously." Cter walked past Chara, walking towards the stairs.
"Cter." They grabbed him by the shoulder, and he stopped.
"You've been acting strange lately." They said. "If something is wrong, you have to tell me."
"..." Cter grit his teeth, yanking his shoulder free and startling them.
"I'm. Fine." He said through gritted teeth, taking a deep breath.
"... You won't remember anyway..." He muttered, walking up the stairs as Chara watched with worry.
4:00 AM.
Cter stared at the ceiling.
How many more RESETs? How long until they finally grew tired of this game? If so, what run would they end it on? It was only a matter of time. They would try everything, and when they did...
Snow. White and red. Vision blurry, something warm running down his face...
Cter clenched his eyes shut, shaking away the memories of that nightmare.
Golden halls. More red. He felt weak. Vision blurry.
"Stop..." He grit his teeth, putting a hand on his head.
Blue. Dust. Small patches of flames, broken armor.
"Stop..!" He could feel something burning in his left eye.
Purple walls. Oil and chunks of metal scattered across the ground.
"Stop it stop it stop it!" He gripped his head, hunching forward as a burning red flame reached up from his left eye.
Red snow.
A grave.
Golden flowers.
Cter roared, fingers tearing into his skull as he clenched his eyes shut, shaking his head as that fire scorched at his face.
He ignored the knock at his door, just shaking his head as beads of sweat ran down his face, fire burning higher into the air.
"Cter! What's going on?!"
Cter couldn't calm himself if he tried.
"I'm coming in!"
Chara threw open the door, eyes widening to see Cter sitting at the foot of his bed, fire lighting up the room as he grit his teeth, fingers digging into his skull as he grit his teeth.
"Cter! Cter, calm down!" They rushed over, pulling his hands from his head, which his fingernails had torn into, a few streams of blood running down the sides of his face.
He shook his head, trying to pull away from them.
"Cter, stop! It's alright! Everything's fine!" They said frantically, Cter's breathing becoming less enraged as the fire in his left eye died down slightly.
In the process of a few minutes, Cter's breathing returned to almost normal, the burning of his left eye reduced to a light red glow.
"Cter, what was that?" Chara sat next to Cter, one hand on his back as he hunched forward, staring at the ground.
"..." Cter closed his eyes, taking a deep breath.
"Huh? Oh, what?" Cter looked up, faking his grin. "Man, I don't even know. Weird dreams, amirite?"
Chara grit their teeth in irritation.
"Cter. The truth. Now." They said assertively, and Cter's eyes widened slightly, before he frowned, hair covering his eyes.
"I'm sorry." He looked down.
"It's fine. Just... Tell me what's going on, okay? You're kinda freaking me out." Chara tried their best at a reassuring smile.
"... When I close my eyes, I see horrible things." Cter's hands clenched into fists on his knees.
"What do you mean?"
"Everyone, one by one... Everyone I care about, dead. And then... then it's just me. I'm alone and... More than anything I'm just... Scared." Cter pulled his knees up to his chest.
"... Well, Cter it's... It's just a dream. No one's gonna hurt your friends." Chara patted Cter on the back. "We're all pretty tough anyway. Who could hurt us?" A sad attempt at a joke.
"... Some day, another human will fall." Cter said after a long period of silence. "I won't be able to stop them. Nothing will."
"... Cter, you're not thinking straight. You need some sleep. After all, if a human fell, how on earth could they escape being captured?" Chara smirked, and Cter laughed lightly, still staring at the floor.
Chara eventually stood, walking towards the door.
"... You don't remember, do you?" Cter said, and they stopped.
How many times had they had this conversation? How many times had Cter said all that he's said?
How many times had he not said enough?
"Remember what?" Chara looked over their shoulder at Cter.
"... It's nothing." Cter closed his eyes. "Go back to bed, we've got a big day ahead of us."
"Um... Okay?" Chara shrugged, leaving the room and closing the door.
Cter looked up out the window, sighing.
Would it be this one?
Or maybe the next?
The one after that?
How much time left?
Would he have to fake a smile again?
Or would he get to be honest for one of these RESETs?
He wasn't sure what was worse anymore...
He fell back onto his bed, staring at the circling ceiling fan.
He grabbed his cough syrup, drinking from it as he stared at the ceiling.
RESET ####
Golden petals and blinding light.
That's what they woke up to every morning.
Everything was always the same...
Same lines of dialogue.
Same faces.
Standing, they had finally brought themselves to make a decision.
This time would be different.
Quite the return we're off to, eh?
I'm not gonna get into what keeps me from updating, because it's a lot of perosnal crap. The jest is, everything's sh!t ass, and Wolf's busy 24/7 365.
Not to mention that with the ending of DoubleTale, there's kind of a creative void left in my head?
So, basically, I'm constantly getting really great ideas, but losing interest in them the next. Typing short scenes and then burying them, unfinished, somewhere in my computer.
Hopefully, DoubleScramble: Genocide will keep my attention, considering it's the whole reason I even started this AU?
And by hopefully, I mean most likely, because now that I've finally sat down and stuck to something, I finally got something done.
Now, as for the DoubleTale Q&A, yes, I'm still going to do it. I've been pecking away at it little by little, and I think you guys are gonna enjoy the first part, which shouldn't take super long, compared to my current track record.
I've just got a lot of questions to sift through. Like, over a hundred, I'm pretty sure? Been awhile since I counted.
So I hope you're ready for clinical depression!
Because it's time for the Genocide Run.
Please Favorite, Follow, and Review.
XWolf26, out