so i made a tumblr page called 'scartale-an-undertale-au'. it has my art, reference sheet and a comic in which i posted the prologue and the first story to there. if you want to ask me anything, you can ask me there ^^

ENJOY ^^

warning: Violence, death, blood.

R&R please, i really want to know what people think of this story.

p.s. i'm really starting to think that i should raise this story to M, what do you think?

Intermission - The Mountain King

They had arrived to New Home, they had finally reached the end of their journey.

They stood in front of what seemed to be an exact copy of Toriel's house entrance, only the color of the walls were different; gray instead of cream white. Golden flowers instead of vegetation.

Toriel's house felt homely, inviting.

This house felt... melancholy. Lonely.

Chara sighed sadly, eyes swirling with unknown emotions.

*So this is it, huh?

They nodded.

*Heh… it's actually quite disheartening. Maybe comedian did have a point?

Frisk turned to face Chara with a bewildered expression. "So do you want to return and not face Asgore? That's the only way for us to get out!"

Chara folded their arms and huffed. *You're the only one who wants to leave. I am, for once, in favor of just staying. We don't have any more enemies. No one will try to kill us anymore. Only Da-Asgore wants our head. We're safe.

They bit their lip and looked down, shoulders hunched. "For the time being. But what if Undyne feels like she needs to kill me again? What if Papyrus will get swayed into capturing us again? What if… what if we die again?"

Their body shuddered as they remembered their many deaths, hands clutching their chest as they tried to gather themselves in front of the SAVE point they had created just before their meltdown brought them to their knees. Chara's fingers rested on their cheeks and a chin was laid on their hair, the ghost muttering soothingly.

*Hey, hey, calm down. Wimpy, it's okay. We'll get through this. Then out. Just… stay determined, alright? They finished awkwardly.

They took several deep breaths before they nodded and let Chara help them get onto their feet, knowing that they will die for certain, but knowing that no death is permanent for them. Chara was right, they'll get through this. And then – out.

They stood inside an exact replica of their room in the RUINS. But there were some major differences; this one had two beds and a golden flower drawing on the left side of the wall. They walked in, their feet bumping into two boxes neatly tucked by the left bed. Chara was deadly silent as they opened the boxes and found a gardening knife and a very familiar white locket in the shape of a upside-down heart. Curious, they opened the locket, finding an inscription that said 'Best Friends Forever'.

Sudden grief hit them and they snapped around to see Chara stand with their back to them, clutching something.

Several pieces came together but refused to make sense.

Confused and worried, they took the necklace and left the knife behind, approaching their guide.

"What's wrong?" They tried to look at Chara's face.

The specter immediately looked away, eyes red-rimmed and pupils dimmed to black.

*Nothing.

As they progressed through the story of the first fallen child, Chara became more and more agitated. They eyed the ghost in worry as they heard another curse.

"Chara?"

*What? Their companion snapped at them. They flinched and looked down, tears threatening to drop. Their reaction made their guide immediately recoil and look away, cheeks burning with shame.

*I… I'm sorry, Frisk. I shouldn't have snapped at you. It's just… I don't like remembering this part.

Their eyes widened as the coin finally fell and they swiveled to the disgruntled ghost, mouth slightly open, temporarily ruining their seemingly stoic expression.

"You are the human child?!"

*You figured it out only now? Chara huffed in mirthless amusement. *I thought a nosy kid like you would have figured it out by now. Did my slip-ups really went unnoticed?

"Sorry…"

Chara sighed, hands on hips and weight on one leg. *No need… we never really talked about our pasts. After all, I am only your guide.

"No."

Chara blinked and looked at them, a stab of hurt going through their chest betraying their companion's blank expression. *No?

"No," They said confidently. "You are my best friend!"

Chara gawked at them, speechless for once. They allowed themselves a moment of childish victory and then stepped forward to envelop their guide in a big hug, giving them their biggest grin they could make. Chara blinked again, only this time it seemed for the sole purpose of pushing back tears. Then the ghost laughed dourly.

*I'm not worth it.

"Don't be like Napstablook, Chara! Just because you're a ghost doesn't mean that we can't be friends."

*It's not that, idiot… I made so many people suffer because of my stupid grudge and my inability to be happy with what I have. I'll only make you suffer.

"No, you won't. You had saved me so many times before. And also… you were always there for me. Even when others were after my SOUL, you stayed.

You are my only real friend."

Finally, after a long silence, Chara reciprocated their embrace and brushed back their hair, almost seeing the burn scar over their upper arm under the sweater, the memory of Vulkin's attack still fresh in their head.

At that Chara smiled jadedly and whispered. *You always knew how to get into people's hearts, huh? You little flirt.

They laughed, happy tears falling from their eyes as they prepared themselves for the unavoidable fight.

"Thank you, Chara."

*Whatever, wimpy. Now, let's go and see what we can do about Asgore, alright?

"Alright!"

They were filled with Determination!

As they followed the sullen king, Frisk slowly felt themselves grow calmer, their heartbeat slowly slowing to a comfortable pattern, confusing their companion greeatly.

*Why are you so calm? He's going to kill us!

They looked at the distrust ghost, knowing that Asgore won't look back to see the exchange, too absorbed in his mourning. But they still whispered. "Because he doesn't want to fight me. It's not like with the others. He actually doesn't want to fight me," They repeated that part almost in awe, not used to the fact, that some monsters don't wish for their death on first contact, "Maybe I can get through to him."

*Or we can be sensible and get the hell out of here!

"We can't run away forever," They shook their head, "Sometimes, we have to face the last challenge even if we want to run."

*It worked perfectly for Undyne.

"But Asgore is not Undyne and we have nowhere to run to."

*I sometimes loath your logic so much! Chara yelled in frustration and tried to kick something only to faze through the wall, rushing back out with a shiver. *The barrier's effect extends even to here.

"Are you okay?"

*Peachy. Now, come on... we have D-Asgore to fight... Chara sighed and they nodded, standing before the big archway. A star flashed before them and the ghost sighed in defeat.

*Determination... I guess that's it... Good luck, partner.

"Thank you," They smiled in reassurance and stepped through the gate.

"G.o.o.d.b.y.e."

A bright red mighty trident thrashed out and struck their SOUL.

Cold dread immediately passing through their body. They recoiled, clutching their chest as they felt something shatter and numbness entering their SOUL.

*Frisk!

They turned to the frantic Chara, who was staring at something with an ashen expression.

Chara?

*He… he… Dad! Asgore took away our MERCY.

They blanched in panic.

"What is that?" They motioned to the four buttons in front of Chara.

They had entered a fight with a FROGGIT when Chara coughed and drew their attention to those buttons.

*Well, those are OPTIONs, I guess. Like, you can FIGHT, ACT, use one of your ITEMs or MERCY.

Their expression lit up with excitement. "So it's like a game! I had always wanted to play one of those things!"

Chara eyed them in disbelief. *This is a life or death situation, Frisk. It's not a friggin' game!

"But it's just a froggit," They motioned to the patient frog-like monster. "Also, it's cute."

Froggit didn't seem to understand what they had said, but it blushed anyways. Chara watched as Toriel appeared behind them, glowering at the now shivering monster, who hopped away almost immediately.

"Aww," They pouted, "bye bye, Froggit!"

"Come now, my child, my apologies for not noticing before that you have entered a FIGHT." Toriel seemed apologetic as she guided them through the next puzzle.

Chara inspected the fading buttons while floating behind them, noting the now orange ACT just before it winked out of sight.

*You ACTed without pushing a button… well, I guess that's what makes it different from a real game, wimpy.

They grumbled at that, what a way to take away the fun.

Chara eyed them and chuckled, amusement evident in the act. *Well, get used to it. It's real life, so don't get your head into dangerous matters just because it feels like a game.

"Okay."

He what!? They turned immediately to the shadowed face boss monster, feeling their SOUL pulse with fright, and for some reason, even more numbness chilled them. They can't MERCY, does that mean that they're doomed? That they won't be able to win this fight? They didn't want to die. Especially by this big trident. It looked really painful…

*Well, you can FIGHT—

No.

A sigh.

*Frisk… We've been over it. Sometimes, you have to fight or run away. In this case, you don't have the 'run' option as well and Asgore won't let you get away with only ACTs. You have to.

No. They're not killing anyone. Napstablook and Monster Kid and everyone else would be sad if they would kill him. Besides, they managed to get this far without killing…

None of them were convinced.

*And dying like a gazillion times! Your whole back and front are filled with scars because of those good for nothing monsters! And it is getting hard for us to stay focused after every death!

Please… let's try TALKing to him first. Maybe there is a way… But despite thinking that, they both knew that their tone wasn't very confident and that their hands were shaking. They were scared, terrified even, without the comfort of MERCY.

Their mind felt as if it was filled with cotton.

Suddenly, they felt the buttons vanishing and the turn finish. They jolted in panic, forgetting that their choice had made their turn. They didn't manage to say anything yet Asgore was already looming over them with his trident as he swung his mighty weapon at their SOUL.

They tried to move away from the inevitable collision, bracing themselves for the hit only to scream when the three teeth pierced through their SOUL and into their chest.

Coughing blood, they staggered back, falling onto the floor and chocking as they gurgled blood instead of air, the sensation of burning exploding in their chest.

"I'm sorry, human…" The last thing they saw as their SOUL shattered was Asgore's anguished expression, the sight filling them with sadness.

"It's… okay…" They mumbled, reaching out for the monster before the darkness overtook them.

After all, they never die properly.

Only painfully.

SHATTER

LOAD

One blink and they were back at the hall before entrance to the barrier.

They collapsed onto their knees, heaving onto the floor as their chest exploded into pain. A warm ghostly hand was placed on their back, unable to do more than that.

When they felt a bit more grounded and not about to curl somewhere and cry, they looked up.

Chara was trying to school their expression, like every time they had died, motioning for them to sit still when they were calm enough. They obeyed and bit their lip as their sweater was raised to reveal a new throbbing raw scar – three perfect circles burning over their chest.

*I'm sorry, Frisk. Was chara's response for every scar.

"It's not your fault," Was their response after every apology.

And that's all they could do to not break down and give up.

After all, a game is never quite finished until everyone reach the happy ending.

…

Right?

It's kind of an explaination for future chapters. so... enjoy ^^

And this marks the end of the installment. if you have any criticism or anything to add, i would be happy to hear them.

please read and review so i could do better or be happy that people enjoy my writings ^^

p.s. for those who didn't understand.

*something in italics - is chara talking.

something in bold - flashback