"I'm done, Frisk!"
Frisk ran very quickly to Alphys after going to the bathroom. They gasped when they saw the newest portal machine. Its old buttons were replaced by new and more colorful ones, including a big, red button. The new monitor was so clean it acted like a mirror, and so was the entire machine, actually. It didn't have all that dust anymore, and its metals were brand-new, not like the corroded ones. The child gave Alphys a tight hug. She chuckled and returned it.
"Thank you so much, Alphys!" Frisk said.
Alphys faced them with a smile, but it faded as soon as she gazed at the machine. Frisk had to admit that they were a bit afraid of a disaster happening all over again, but their determination was stronger than everything else. The scientist returned her gaze to them.
"I-I hope this is g-going to work." Alphys stuttered. "I-I mean, I didn't even... w-well... l-let's do this!"
She hesitantly turned on the machine by pressing the big button. It was connected to a power generator created by Alphys herself, as it required a great amount of energy. It made a very loud noise and the monitor turned on. Several codes popped in the screen. Frisk couldn't understand them at all. Alphys bited her nails anxiously. The entrance of the portal machine was soon iluminated by a bright, white light. It was so bright that Frisk and Alphys were forced to close their eyes and cover their faces with their arms. After the light decreased, the two looked at the machine again. It... it was surprisingly stable. Alphys's jaw dropped.
"I-It... I-It worked! Oh my god, I c-can't believe it!" Alphys said, excited. "N-Now, let's see if this little buddy here works!"
She made her way to the monitor, tapping her fingers on the screen. She configured several things and wrote codes by using a keyboard in the screen. Frisk turned their gaze to the portal machine's entrance. They approached it a little, with a determined smile on their face. They were about to see Gaster again and they would bring him home.
They looked at Alphys again, who looked at the monitor with... shock? Frisk walked up to her, seeing a white point in the middle of the black screen. There was some text but Frisk couldn't understand its font. It wasn't one they recognized.
"Oh my god." Alphys said. "T-There... there really is a p-place... across time a-and space, a-and..."
Alphys's eyes widened in disbelief.
"T-There are... signs..." She said, astonished. "S-Signs o-of... of life in that place!"
That place...
Somewhere across time and space...
Could that be...
"... the Void?" Frisk said out loud.
Alphys looked at them with shock.
"O-Oh my..." She mumbled, sweating a little. "T-There really is s-someone in there! God, i-is that... him...?"
"Y-Yes! He's the only one trapped in that dimension!"
Frisk looked at the portal's entrance again. It formed a very bright and white tunnel. At the end of it... Frisk could see the darkness. Nothing, but the darkness and the emptiness of... the Void.
"I-I can't believe the V-Void... is real." Alphys mumbled to herself.
Frisk sighed deeply, rushing to the part of the laboratory which contained a great amount of junk. They searched for something that could help them enter the Void in order to save Gaster. Meanwhile, Alphys kept on mumbling things while shocked at her new discovery. Finally, Frisk found a lengthy (for real!) rope in the middle of that mess. They wondered why would Alphys even keep it, but they didn't complain at all. They ran back to the machine and tied the rope around their waist.
"W-What are you doing?" Alphys asked.
"I'm going in there."
"N-No, Frisk! It's t-too dangerous!"
"I know I can do this!"
"B-But what if you- what if you g-get hurt?" Alphys asked, in a worried tone.
"Don't worry." Frisk gave her a smile. "I promised I would get him out of the Void. That's what I'm going to do. I can do this. After all, the Void didn't shatter him, did it?"
Frisk prepared themself to jump into the tunnel. They offered Alphys the end of the rope. She anxiously grabbed it.
"I'll be back soon. I promise." They said. "I'll give you a signal to pull me back, okay?"
They jumped inside the portal. Alphys tried to stop them, but she was too late.
"Frisk, no!" She screamed.
The child jumped to the portal, being sucked by the white tunnel. Frisk stared at the darkness of the end of it, while they heard Alphys's distorted voice screaming for them. They were forced to close their eyes due to the brightness of the tunnel.
They... they couldn't breathe right. They couldn't feel the gravity anymore; were they... fluctuating?
Frisk opened their eyes. They felt some bad chills by just... looking around. There was nothing in that place. Frisk could only see the darkness. They looked down, only to find... nothing. They really were fluctuating, which... made them feel much more lighter. Frisk looked behind. The portal was the only light source in there.
They really were in... the Void.
The human attempted to move. They couldn't run or walk. Instead... they swung their arms and legs, noticing they moved a little bit. Frisk began "swimming" in the emptiness of the Void. That dimension was just like how Gaster had described it: a black space, with no stars or... anything, actually.
"H-Hello?" Frisk said, looking around.
There was no response. They swam away from the portal, trying to find at least a white spot, since Gaster wore a black overcoat.
"M-Mister Gaster?" They called him. "Are you there?"
That is right.
This is where you belong.
Gaster sighed deeply, resisting the urge of crying. He had broken the heart of a dear friend, but... he had done the right thing. Everyone was unhappy with his presence. He shouldn't have come back at all.
Home, sweet home.
Gaster couldn't think about that look of a broken heart that Frisk had had on their face when he was about to leave. He heard Frisk's voice echoing in his mind.
That's not true! You are a great person! You are a great and dedicated father, and... you're my best friend!
You're my best friend!
You're my best friend!
OH, F-FRISK... Gaster said, sniffling. YOU WERE MY BEST FRIEND... THE ONLY ONE I HAD.
He felt deep regret after remembering all the good times he had with Frisk. The subjects they talked about, the fun they had with Sans and Papyrus, the human television... Frisk... Frisk was one of the best people to ever come to his life. They were just as important as his sons were to him.
I... I SHOULDN'T HAVE... ABANDONED YOU. Gaster said, sighing again. Y-YOU... YOU WERE MY ONLY FRIEND... YOU UNDERSTOOD ME, COMFORTED ME, LISTENED TO ME WHEN NOBODY ELSE WOULD. Y-YOU HAVE BEEN THERE FOR ME. AND I... I JUST... LEFT.
But you did the right thing. You have ruined their life. The distorted voices said.
Gaster didn't answer them. He stared at the darkness of the Void, almost bursting in tears. He felt his heart ache even more by remembering that the world functioned well without him.
You have ruined everybody's lives. The whole world was doing well without you. The voices then laughed creepily. You pathetic garbage... You should have given up instead of still holding that miserable hope in your heart. Nobody wants you. Nobody needs you.
Frisk suddenly showed up in front of him. They gave him a sad smile.
I can be your friend, Mister Gaster. The child said, their voice echoing.
Please, don't go.
FRISK, I-
Gaster tried to touch them, but Frisk vanished. The scientist closed his eyes, letting the tears fluctuate.
I'M SO... I'M SO SORRY. He said, sobbing. I-
"H... H-Hello?!"
Gaster froze. Was that another hallucination? It could be just... the Void tricking him.
"Mister Gaster?" Frisk called.
NO, NO, I-I CAN'T TAKE THIS ANYMORE- Gaster mumbled to himself, shaking his head and closing his eyes.
The Void was playing with his mind again. It always did that. Gaster would always have a hallucination of someone he cared about, mostly Sans and Papyrus, and then Frisk, Gaster just wanted it all to stop. Those visions he had could have driven him crazy. His pain and his self hate just worsened by each time the Void tricked him. Why... why couldn't he just... die already? Death would be way better than stay alive and remember all the mistakes he had made.
S-STOP THIS! Gaster spoke... to the Void? I-I JUST WANT- I JUST WANT TO DIE! I CAN'T TAKE THIS ANY LONGER!
It really would be better for everyone... But you are not dead. You cannot die. The distorted voices laughed. You will suffer forever, and you deserve this, you idiot!
"Mister Gaster? C-Can you hear me?" Frisk asked.
Gaster denied Frisk's existence. The distorted voices yelled inside his mind, saying several pessimistic things to him. He couldn't take it anymore. He let out a scream, letting more tears come out from his eyes.
STOP! He yelled.
The voices spoke louder, until... he heard a scream from someone else.
"M-Mister Gaster!"
Gaster opened his eyes. Nothing in front of him... He turned to the other direction, only to find... Frisk.
IT'S NOT REAL, IT'S NOT REAL, IT'S NOT REAL- Gaster thought, after the voices finally became quiet.
The supposed Frisk sniffled, but still smiled.
"G-Gaster..." They whispered.
THIS- THIS IS NOT REAL- Gaster said to himself out loud. I-IT CAN'T BE REAL-
"W-What? I'm right here, mister Gaster!" Frisk answered.
Gaster analysed the child. Their waist was tied by a lengthy rope, which came from... wait... He looked behind the child, finding a... was that... a portal? It was a white, bright and long tunnel. The scientist's eyes widened. The Void would never be able to do something like that, specially when it was slightly iluminated by the light tunnel.
It wasn't a hallucination.
F-FRISK, WHAT... W-WHAT ARE YOU... D-DOING IN HERE? Gaster asked, astonished.
"I came here to rescue you!"
R... RESCUE ME?
How was Frisk able to enter the Void? How did that portal appear? God, did... did Frisk go in that dark place just... to save him? That awful, horrible and worthless piece of garbage?
H-HOW DID YOU GET HERE? Gaster asked.
"I-It doesn't matter now! Come on, I'll take you home!"
Frisk swam closer to him. Gaster remained still, too shocked to do anything. The distorted voices returned to his mind.
LEAVE FRISK ALONE! LET PEOPLE LIVE THEIR LIVES HAPPILY! They yelled at him.
Gaster distanced himself from the child.
G-GET AWAY FROM ME! He yelled, sobbing.
"W-What-?"
GO AWAY, FRISK! THIS IS NO PLACE FOR A CHILD!
"This isn't the place for you, either! I won't let you stay trapped in here!"
GO HOME ALREADY! Gaster screamed louder, feeling his headache getting worse because of the distorted voices yelling mean words at him.
Gaster sounded so distressed, so broken and hurt... It hurted so much to see him like that. The Void was a prison. It had changed him, it had destroyed his positive thoughts, his hope. Frisk attempted to approach him, but he refused to go with them. His body... it started melting again. His face became completely disfigured, it was too painful to watch.
"M-Mister Gaster!" Frisk screamed, terrified.
Frisk swam closer to him again, only to make him almost push them aggressively.
LEAVE ME ALONE, FRISK! Gaster yelled, sounding enraged but upset at the same time. I DON'T MATTER!
Frisk couldn't help but cry, too. Their tears fluctuated among them.
"S-Stop running away from me!" Frisk said. "I just want to help you!"
I AM NOT WORTH HELPING! LEAVE NOW BEFORE I MAKE YOU!
Gaster turned his back to Frisk, sobbing loudly and shaking his head. The child's eyes widened in shock. He had been through horrible times. He was being manipulated by the pessimistic forces of the Void. He thought he wasn't worth it. Frisk had to prove him otherwise, because he was a great friend and father.
Firstly, Frisk gave him some space. He wasn't comfortable with anyone approaching him and they understood that. Secondly, they picked a piece of paper from their pocket.
"Mister Gaster?" They called him.
JUST LEAVE, FRISK!
Gaster turned his head to them. His face was worse than before. His white pupils disappeared. His black eyes were just like... the void. He gave them an angered face. Frisk unfolded the piece of paper, revealing the adorable card of Sans, Papyrus and Gaster. They immediately showed it to him.
"Don't forget."
Gaster suddenly... felt himself calm down a little. The scientist stared at the drawing of him and his sons, and reading "don't forget" numerous times.
H-HOW DID YOU- Gaster mumbled.
"It doesn't matter. I just... I just want to tell you something."
Gaster remained silent. Frisk sighed.
"Don't forget that... there are people who deeply care about you. Who love you for who you are." They said. "You are not a horrible person. Everybody makes mistakes, and... nobody is perfect. Besides that, you... you care so much about others, you are willing to do everything for the ones you love. That's why Sans and Papyrus admire you so much. They understand that you work hard just to give them the best. That's why they love you."
Gaster overthought every single word Frisk told him. They... they were right. Sans and Papyrus never stopped loving him, even... even after he distanced himself from them. They would always let him know how much they cared about him, they would always say that their father was amazing.
"That's why... I love you, too." Frisk continued. "You're my best friend, mister Gaster. You... you may not see it, but... Sans, Papyrus, and I..."
Suddenly, Gaster could hear Sans's and Papyrus's voices when Frisk said:
"We think you're pretty great."
The scientist looked at the child, not sure what he should do. He... he felt better, but startled at the same time, specially after hearing his sons' voices.
"You can go home now." Frisk said. "You can finally be free, not only from the Void, but from the Underground, too. You can live in the human world, you can cherish your freedom in the surface, watch and study the stars, like you said you have always wanted to do, and... you can be part of a family, too."
Frisk offered their hand to Gaster. Behind them, he... he saw Sans and Papyrus. The two of them smiled at him. Tears formed on his eyes, but this time... they were tears of joy. Frisk was absolutely right. He wouldn't be trapped any longer. He wouldn't be under pressure because of his work. He wouldn't be fluctuating in the darkness anymore.
He would be free.
He would be home.
Gaster couldn't help but... smile. Frisk was really crazy to create a portal in order to rescue him. However, if that child entered the Void just to save him... how bad could he be?
He felt something inside his heart. He felt... something good. Something great, actually. It... it was...
... Happiness.
... Love.
Love for his dear friend. Love for his sons.
Gaster didn't feel anything negative any longer.
"Come with me." Frisk said with a smile. "Let's go home."
"Oh god, oh god, oh god-"
Alphys mumbled that the whole time while holding the rope. Frisk had been inside for a while by now. Did something happen? Well, Frisk would give them a signal to be pulled back, right? Alphys trusted them, she... she believed in them, despite feeling deeply concerned about their safety.
Calm down, just... relax. She thought. Nothing bad will happen. Frisk will be alright. They give you a signal, you pull them back and then you send them home right away. See? Nothing to worry about-
"Alphys?"
Alphys froze. That voice... that woman's voice... it was quite familiar.
The scientist looked behind her. Undyne was standing there, looking at her with a confused face. She looked very stunning with that black jacket, those black boots and blue jeans... But Alphys couldn't compliment her girlfriend when her friend was in another dimension.
"U-Undyne! I... I-I was about to g-get ready!" Alphys stuttered nervously. "I... I-I am just... d-doing science things! I'm almost done with this and t-then we will go see that movie, okay?"
Undyne glanced at the machine.
"What... what is that machine?" She asked, then turning her gaze to the lengthy rope. Her face frowned.
"What's with that rope?" Undyne asked.
"Uhhhhhhhhh..."
Don't you dare lie to her. You promised you wouldn't lie to anyone any longer. She thought.
Alphys sighed deeply. "O-Okay, look, U-Undyne..." She cleared her throat. "Don't f-freak out, but, huh... t-this machine here is... i-is a portal machine! A-And... Frisk a-asked me to fix it so they c-could rescue someone i-in another... dimension...? W-Well, there's no need to worry about it, r-right?" Alphys forced a smile.
Undyne's eyes widened in disbelief.
"WHAT?!" She screamed. "You let Frisk enter another DIMENSION?! How- Oh, wait a second. Don't you tell me that Frisk is in the other side of the-"
Alphys looked away, guilty.
"No." Undyne said, not believing it.
"Undyne-!"
"Alphys, WHAT THE HELL?!" Undyne screamed, approaching her furiously. "YOU GET FRISK OUT OF THERE RIGHT THIS INSTANT! THIS IS TOO DANGEROUS FOR A KID!"
"B-But-!"
Suddenly, a loud noise could be heard. That wasn't a good signal. Alphys felt herself being pulled closer to the portal. It... it seemed to... absorb her!
"UNDYNE! HELP!" She screamed.
She felt a tight grip around her waist. Undyne stepped away from the machine and grabbed the work table which, thankfully, was stuck to the ground. Alphys could see the screen of the monitor full of error tabs and the red alarm rang loudly. The portal was unstable. Both Undyne and Alphys gasped.
"Nonononononononononono-" Alphys mumbled, shaking her head and then screaming: "FRISK!"
Alphys looked up to Undyne, who was terrified.
"P-Pull the rope!" She ordered. Undyne nodded.
The fish lady let go of Alphys, who quickly grabbed the work table. The two tried their best to pull the rope as fast as they could. Unfortunately, the portal became more and more unstable as the time passed.
"Oh my god, no!" Alphys said to herself, hoping that Frisk was okay.
Frisk and Gaster looked at the tunnel. It... its form was becoming distorted. They could hear loud and distorted noises coming from it. Gaster gasped. He knew what that meant: the portal was becoming unstable. It... It could explode in any minute!
T-THE PORTAL IS UNSTABLE! IT MIGHT BE DESTROYED! Gaster screamed, scared.
"T-Then we have no time to lose!"
Gaster nodded. He held Frisk's hand. The child, thanks to the low gravity of the Void, was able to pull him closer to them. Frisk pulled the rope, like they were giving some sort of signal. Suddenly, the rope started being pulled violently to the portal.
"NGAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!"
Undyne, with all of her strength, pulled the rope aggressively. Luckily, the two of them were able to stand in the ground without holding onto anything. Alphys was right behind her, doing the same. Undyne really didn't know why on earth was Frisk inside another dimension just to rescue someone when Alphys or anyone more recommended to do such a dangerous task could do that, but she wouldn't let Frisk die!
The portal's form was distorting. Its alarm sounds echoed the laboratory. The machine absorbed several light things from the junk in the corner of the lab, such as wires and blueprints. The rope was being absorbed by the portal, and Undyne had to be stronger than ever before.
"DON'T WORRY, KID!" She screamed, unsure if Frisk would hear them. "I'LL GET YOU OUT OF THERE!"
Light rays were coming from the tunnel. The Void... The Void was... brightening. Gaster panicked. If they didn't make it on time, the portal would explode, and... and something terrible would happen to the both of them. In the other accident, the destruction had been so grave that it could have killed Gaster. He was very lucky to have survived, but his head had been cracked, which explained the two scars on his face.
OH GOD, T-THIS IS TOO DANGEROUS! Gaster yelled.
"I know!"
FRISK, IF WE DON'T MAKE IT... S-SOMETHING TRAGIC CAN HAPPEN TO YOU!
Frisk looked at him with shock, but they frowned and looked at the portal, showing determination in their eyes.
"Everything will be fine!" They screamed. "I promise!"
FRISK, YOU CAN DIE IF THE PORTAL EXPLODES!
"Gaster, I- I just want to get you home! A-And I'm doing this, even if... if something happens to me! B-But I promise that everything will be okay!"
A loud noise could be heard. The portal was more and more unstable. The Void was almost entirely white, and it was utterly creepy. Gaster gasped loudly.
WE ARE NOT GOING TO MAKE IT! He screamed.
"Yes, we are!"
They were getting closer to the tunnel.
Light rays were coming out of the portal. Undyne strived so hard to pull the rope that Alphys could see the veins in her muscles. Her face sweated, and she screamed very loudly as the machine was close to destruction. The monitor cracked in a frightful speed and the metal that protected the machine's wires and the computer was shattering.
"NO! I WON'T LET YOU DIE IN THERE, FRISK!" Undyne screamed.
"Frisk!"
The two pulled the rope at full force, trying their best to not to be absorbed by the portal. Alphys panicked, already blaming herself for putting Frisk in danger. She believed that they could save W. D. Gaster and return safely. She shouldn't have let them do that.
"Come on!" Alphys screamed, feeling exhausted.
Undyne and her froze when they saw the portal cracking. More light rays were coming from it. The machine would explode!
"NO!" The two screamed in unisone.
Undyne pulled the rope so hard that both of them fell backwards. Then everything turned bright, and a loud explosion noise could be heard.
"WE'RE GOING TO MAKE IT!"
Finally, Sans and Papyrus were almost getting to Alphys's house. Sans's shortcuts, unfortunately, didn't quite work. The traffic was terrible everywhere. Papyrus accelerated a little more, forming a wide smile on his face. Sans was smiling too, and... he had the urge to cry. He was so guilty, so regretful, yet glad that he would be seeing Frisk again. He couldn't wait to see that determined face of theirs and take them home.
"we're almost there-"
The ground shook violently. A loud noise could be heard from a short distance. A very bright, white and wide laser light came out of Alphys's house. Sans's and Papyrus's visions were blocked by its brightness. Papyrus lost control of the car, making it skid. The two screamed, attempting to stop it, but the light prevented them from doing so. Before Sans could at least try to use his magic, the car crashed into a wall. He lost his senses.
