The TARDIS careened through the void, passing effortlessly through the barrier that had been their only blockage for such a long time. And…it was strangely silent. Chara was very solemn, and you could swear her eyes disappeared beneath a shadow.
"Chara?...What exactly is this…Fallen God? Universes' worst nightmare?..." Papyrus asked, confused and a little shaken.
"I've been wondering the same thing myself." the Doctor noted, keeping an eye on the co-ordinates.
"A human. Well- genetically human. Maybe not even that. She's a being with seven human souls under her control. Basically a god."
"Question." the Doctor questioned. "Why hasn't she destroyed the world already?"
"Because it's too easy." Chara replied. "You've got to understand, you two, that it's all a game to her. But she doesn't have complete power. She has good attacks, the ability to destroy the Earth, but…her power is limited. And, most importantly, she's completely insane. Don't take this the wrong way, but there will be no MERCY against her."
"I see what you mean." the Doctor replied. Papyrus walked over to Chara and quietly asked her, "You mean…no MERCY that…the other me gave to her, way back then?..."
"Yes. Exactly that kind of Mercy." Chara explained. "I shouldn't have told him she was human. He always tries to have Mercy on humans, and you know what happens to anyone who tries to give her Mercy."
"Got it. I'll…keep him in check!"
"I might do that. Either that or I'll do all the talking."
The Doctor was packing his jacket with everything he might need. A Vortex Manipulator, Unoffical MK II Dimension Crossing Edition. An infostamp. Always useful. Everything else, which included jelly babies. Slowly, he ascended from his little compartment which he was currently sifting through.
The TARDIS was just waiting for him to step outside.
And step outside he did. Papyrus followed after him, excited for the adventure that always followed, but took his foot back immediately after seeing that there was seemingly nothing beneath him.
Just…blackness. As far as the eye could see, downwards, upwards, left, right, every way possible.
"It's alright. We're on solid ground." the Doctor concluded, feeling the ground beneath his feet; impossibly smooth, but completely invisible.
Papyrus cautiously took his first step. He was…safe. But…he felt uneasy. Convincing himself that everything was…all good…he caught up to the Doctor, who was making his way towards the only other source of colour in the room, a tiny point of yellow. A Save Point.
Chara, however, was already there. She kept glancing backwards towards the approaching pair. Saying nothing. It was like she was beside a sleeping bear, hoping not to wake it.
Finally, they arrived. They stood by the Save point. Was…this the fallen god?...Or a precious point to SAVE at?...
"Are you two ready?" she asked.
The Doctor gave a small nod.
"Let me do all the talking." she whispered in reply. She bowed her head. That's you in there, isn't it?...Changing your form to give us hope before tearing it away. You know we're not idiots like the rest. Hardly.
"Greetings…Are you there?" Chara declared at last. "It's me. Your worst enemy."
The Save point appeared to gain a slick complexion before immediately transforming into a human-like figure. It looked almost exactly like Chara, but wearing a torn and ragged blue shirt with two purple stripes instead of one. But her face matched the face that Chara had worn when they and the pair behind her first met; the unsettling one, the eerie one that betrayed nothing.
It was almost like she was intentionally mimicking her.
"Greetings, Chara. Have you come to reconsider?" she hissed, beginning to hover. "After all those things that happened, I'd hardly think it was the mere destruction of a few planets that would push you over the edge."
"No." Chara replied, adamant. "Haven't you gotten tired of this?..."
"I'm as determined as you are." the human replied, moving closer.
"Frisk, let's just get down to buisness. I have detected the universe could near its end if you aren't stopped, just as I predicted." Chara explained.
"And how are you going to deal with it this time, Chara?..."
"By any means nessecary."
"The same way as the last time the universe was threatened?..."
"Stop it." Chara snapped.
"Righteous dest-"
"I SAID STOP IT!-" Chara yelled, running towards Frisk shoulder outstretched, preparing to attack her. She took several furious swipes at her, using the old and rusty TARDIS attack circuits to attempt to harm a god.
"…All I shall say is that you and your new accomplice are birds of a feather." Frisk concluded, after Chara had calmed down and given up. "Don't think I haven't noticed your two friends."
"Allo." the Doctor replied, stepping forward. "So…Fallen God?...I've heard quite a bit about you. About how you think the world's a game. So tell me…if all the world's a game, and all its myriad of humans, aliens and monsters merely pawns in a greater plan, then what's your end goal? Hmmm? Your quest to be completed."
"To see everything that is, was, and could be, Doctor, every possible event." the Fallen God answered "I have read every book. Burnt every book. I have saved the universe and I haven't yet destroyed it. That's my goal, Doctor!..."
"And have you ever looked back and thought: maybe you're taking this a bit far? You've devastated a race beyond repair, destroyed a couple of planets, and then you look back and think…should I maybe stop at this point? No, you say, because I wonder what happens if I push this big red button that says destroy the universe?..."
"If you're implying that I have guilt within me, then you would be incorrect. I am incapable of it now, and I never was nor will!"
"OBJECTION!" Papyrus shouted. "I saw you directly after you killed me, and you seemed pretty torn up about it!" "And for good reason too…" he muttered under his breath.
"Papyrus?...I never thought I'd see you and the Doctor together. I'd have to blame the Doctor on this front, though. Inviting into the TARDIS one who was barred from the Royal Guard the instant Undyne saw them!"
Papyrus was amazed, immediately realising what she'd just told him. No! It wasn't true, he thought, it couldn't be true!...
"So you were a pacifist once." the Doctor concluded.
"Yes."
"So how did you change? Because I can sense that it's still the same person in there. That you aren't under any mind control."
"It's her LOVE." Chara explained, not wanting the Fallen God to say another word. "Every time she kills, she distances herself more from her future actions. It's gotten to the point where she can't feel anything from her actions."
"You could say that." the human replied. "But let's cut the chat. I have some explaining to do."
"And why would you just explain your plans to us right off the bat?!" Papyrus asked.
"Because that's what all antagonists do, correct?"
"But don't all villains get defeated by the heroes in the end?..."
"Not all the time. Now will you just let me explain?!"
For some reason, everyone fell silent immediately.
"Before you ask, I've been responsible for two things. The abnormal appearance of the Reset screen, and the possession of the human you saw."
"Wait, wait, hold the presses!" Papyrus gasped. "You…possessed…yourself?"
"My past self, indeed. Otherwise she would have reset the timeline, quit the game forever and everything I'd have done would have been erased. And I couldn't have that now, could I?...I did everything I could to stop you getting to that point, so I wouldn't have to possess myself…and…give myself these unsightly deformities…"
The Fallen God held up her hand, which now possessed metal bones and withered skin.
"It hurts. And you know what, Papyrus?...It's all your fault that I've got this. Anyway, back onto the topic. I tried everything. Possessing that ship I landed you on and almost drowning you. Taking mild control over the Doctor's mind back there in London. Giving Imphotep the idea of creating a ressurection machine. Sending the hypnotizing signals to the party ship. I even gave Sans nightmares and I told him again and again DON'T MAKE THE CIRCUIT. Something for you to look forward to. But you had to come to the Genocide timeline and set HER free."
"And what's wrong with that?" the Doctor asked, stepping forward.
"Everything! Do you know-"
"the things she's done?!" Chara spat, finishing the sentence. "The infinite evils she's committed, which infinitely overshadow mine! The things you should go back into the TARDIS and rip her limb from limb for! Well, I've had enough of that from my own conscience."
"Chara?...You've changed. You always used to regret those things. You've taken a turnabout."
"Because now, it's not just me that knows what I've done and judged me for it. And their verdict is not guilty." Chara replied, remembering all those times that Papyrus had helped her, told her that he was still her friend, not matter what her past told him. She didn't quite want to believe it, to continue thinking that she was the true villain and Frisk was just another maniac. But…she couldn't let that happen. There was something stopping her.
"I've regained my determination now. I'm not as distanced as you think I am. My LOVE will only distance me if I want it to!-"
"So who is this judge? I doubt the Doctor would forgive you despite his similar actions. Sans wouldn't forgive you, based off his reaction to me. Then I assume…"
The Fallen God grimaced, and tittered.
"He believes in you, doesn't he?"
Chara was completely silent, knowing that any response would trigger a brutal retaliation.
"Papyrus, you never change, do you?...There's a reason the flower loved to play with you so often and so much. You'd…actually forgive her?..."
Papyrus nodded. "Of course."
"She's using you. Using you like she used Asriel."
"Stop it." Papyrus replied. "I know she isn't. I decide what I think about her, thankyou very much!"
"I'll leave your opinions alone. All I'll say is she has a habit of getting people killed."
Chara looked up in horror. Was she-
"Are you implying…that I've been responsible for every death you committed with your own hand?..."
"Yes. Now, let's get-" the Fallen God replied, in an on-the-side fashion.
"HOW DARE YOU!" Chara gasped. Before the Fallen God could react, Chara was upon her. The hate she had kept locked within her for so long for fear of becoming like her was leaking out- she no longer knew that the Fallen God was evil; she was just an opponent, she was their opponent, and if she was EVIL, SO BE IT! The Doctor looked on as the TARDIS chugged far behind him: Chara was using the TARDIS' long-rusted attack circuits- he never knew the Type 40 had attack mechanisms…
The Fallen God had Chara pinned in a second, then Chara had her pinned in the next. Writhing and flailing, the Fallen God found a second to hold back the Doctor and Papyrus with a barrier, who were rushing to the fight to help Chara: it was one on one now.
"I'VE BEEN WAITING A LONG TIME FOR THIS!" Chara yelled, as she slowly gained the advantage. The gravitational attack mechanism drove the Fallen God to the ground, to lie there. Chara was completely incorporeal, perhaps even invincible.
The Fallen God realised she had made a grave mistake. Not in angering Chara, but locking the Doctor away. She knew that he was the only conscience she had-
"How does it feel now? To not be in control?" Chara asked the Fallen God, poised to attack with a disintergrator beam that hadn't been used in 900 years.
"P-please…don't kill me…" the Fallen God whispered.
Chara felt something stir within her. Mercy. No. NO! YOU SPARE OF YOUR OWN ACCORD! She can't force you to do anything! She is your opponent, mortal enemy, the one that killed your family five times over, the one that tortured you in the void for a thousand years-
The Doctor looked on in horror as Chara killed the fallen god. Her seven human Souls rose into the air and shattered in unison. Broken down the middle. Chara smiled, as if she was possessed; perhaps this was the persona she adopted when she was filled with hate and rage.
Chara looked at the seven souls as they began to break apart.
Suddenly, like a film being played backwards, the souls reformed.
"But it refused." the Fallen God whispered, as she got up from the ground and the burn marks disappeared. Instantly, she imprisoned Chara in a digital cage, glowing red in the darkness. Desperately, she tried to teleport out, but the cage kept her there, powerless.
She watched in horror as her soul began to be drawn out of her body. Its path stuttered as Chara tried to resist, but to no avail. Yelling Chara's name, Papyrus ran straight through the barrier which disappeared as the Fallen God focused all her power on Chara's soul. He reached his hand through the electrical cage's bars, trying to pull Chara out of the god's reach, but no luck.
The Fallen God reached out to touch the soul; infinite power just within her reach.
Chara's image flickered and distorted.
And disappeared, along with her soul. The Fallen God looked up in horror.
The Doctor was standing back to her, pointing the sonic screwdriver directly towards the TARDIS.
"She's safe now." the Doctor explained. "Locked within the TARDIS, where you can't get to her."
"Curse you." the Fallen God snarled.
"So, now we have that out of the way, I need to ask you the most important question. Chara told me that the Earth was in your hands. No other planet other than your own. So how can you turn other planets into dust from all the way out here?"
"I'll explain later." the Fallen God replied.
"And how?...have you had influences in other universes?"
"The dimensional breaches. I only opened them further and further. It won't be just the one Earth that dies…it'll be all of them."
"A-ha!" Papyrus gasped. "You're the one that let the metal man, through, correct?"
"No. They were just a mistake, though. My followers didn't want me to give him any help, and as I didn't want to waste my power, I obliged."
The Doctor looked quite amazed. She had…followers. Of course, he thought, you couldn't be a god without followers, could you?...
"…Who are your followers?..." the Doctor asked.
"Guess, Doctor, guess. If I show you two where we are, it'll answer all your questions. I'm surprised you haven't actually asked me yet." the Fallen God answered.
The Doctor paused. The smell of metal in the air, or blood perhaps, became more apparent every second.
"…Where are we?" the Doctor asked, a grave expression on his face.
The Fallen God raised her hand into the air. A ball of light appeared and all the darkness in the room appeared to be sucked into it. For a moment, all they could see was a bright white, until dark colors began to be restored. Papyrus looked down and saw a shining metal floor beneath his feet.
They were alone in a room which the Doctor recognized. Fear suddenly imprinted itself into his face, and the Fallen God smiled in satisfaction and started laughing madly, her eyes turning completely black.
Two doors hissed open on either side of them, and from them poured her followers. They looked up to her as she laughed at the two travellers, and, suddenly, all in unison, they screamed the words the Doctor had heard a thousand times.
"EXTERMINATE! EXTERMINATE! EXTERMINATE!"