A/N: Hello! A bit later than I hoped, but I'm back with a new chapter.
Thank you all so so much for all the support with the previous chapter. Every review, and message was so terrifying, yet wonderful to read. I was honestly very moved. Thank you so much.
This chapter was supposed to be longer, but I wanted to try releasing smaller chapters for once. It's a lot easier to edit this way, I'll tell you that. I mean, you'd think it would be obvious, but I never realised just how much easier it was to do it. I just hope I've added enough content to keep it entertaining. I'm still a bit wordy with my scenes I'm afraid :P
Anyways! I'll let you guys be the judge. On with the show!
Chara gasped awake, their eyes flicking open as their consciousness snapped back into reality like a rubber band. They leapt up, throwing the thin sheet blanket draped over them away in the process. Then, as quickly as they'd gotten up, they fell back down, hissing loudly as their entire body thrummed with needle like pain. They gasped for breath, taking the time to relax their taut muscles as they stared at the dark, rocky ceiling above.
They were in a cave. A small, damp cave made of blue rocks so dark that it was almost black. The air was cold, but there seemed to be a fire nearby that was warming them up from one side. They could see the orange glow on the stones above, feel the heat on their arm. They felt the soft fabric over their stomach and legs as well. Their body was full of sensation, whole once more. They were back. Back here, in the realworld.
What an odd concept that was now: the real world. As the post-sleep lethargy settled upon them like a fuzzy cloud, Chara had to wonder if what they had seen was all a figment of their imagination, a dream conjured up by their desperate need to see the child once more. They had spoken with Frisk, with Asriel even. If this had been any other day, they would have scoffed at themselves and fell back asleep, maybe even scold themselves for being so soft. But now...
Child. They called out. Frisk? Can you hear me?
There was nothing in their head. Nothing but the dead silence that had been there ever since the kidnapping. Their mind was so empty. So alone. They should have expected that. They were expecting it in fact. But even still, disappointment pressed down on them like a deadweight, pushing them to the ground and rubbing their face against the dirt.
Of course,they thought. Of course no one would answer, because really, how ludicrous could they get? A dreamscape? One where they were mentally linked with the child to share their experience? It was foolish. Beyond foolish. Too much hope and wishful thinking was rotting their common sense.
They stared at the ceiling above and found their vision blurred with frustrated tears.
Stupid. The voices spat. Stupid fucking whore.
"Fuck off." They growled back, their fists clenching, arms moving to wipe their eyes. "Fuck. Off."
They were so tired of this; tired of the voices jabbing at their soul; tired of the disappointment and the crippling weight of failure plaguing their every living moment.
But what they were tired of the most, was themselves lying on their back and mulling in their sorrows, not only having the world beat them to submission, but letting it as well.
Well, no more.
Enough was enough. They weren't going to give up.
It didn't matter if it wasn't real.
It didn't matter if they were alone and whatever talk they had with the child never even happened.
They made a promise. And whether that promise had been to the child or to themselves, it didn't matter. They were going to follow through.
Chara's eyes brightened, agleam with resolve.
Slowly, they got up again.
Chapter 14
Chara sauntered out of the cave, the orange scarf that had acted as their makeshift blanket protecting them from the coldness outside. The scarf belonged to Papyrus, and they noted that their body was wrapped in bandages and ointment as well. The skeleton had taken good care of them while they were out, but now he was nowhere to be seen. Given their situation with the Royal guards, Chara couldn't help but worry for his safety.
The cave they took shelter in was at the bottom of a large cliffside, a snowy plain spreading just outside its mouth. One side of this plain lead back into the dense maze that was the Snowdin forest, while the other side lead off to a cliff of its own. Making sure there wasn't anyone about, Chara discreetly made their way to the edge and peered over. The ground below seemed at least ten storeys down, a flat vertical fall.
A very poor escape path. They thought. It appeared that the only viable method of escape from here was into the forest, which was also where any danger can come from. If the guards happen to find them here, they were going to have to fight their way out, a suicide if they've ever seen one. They were going to have to leave this place as soon as possible.
"NYAH HA! YOU'RE AWAKE!"
Chara flinched, spinning around with their hand clutching onto the scarf. Then, they breathed a sigh of relief when they saw a tall skeleton jogging towards them from the forest. "Papyrus. Thank goodness, you're alright."
"OF COURSE I'M ALRIGHT!" The skeleton said proudly. "I'M THE ONE WHO SHOULD BE ASKING YOU THAT. YOU'RE THE ONE WHO'S BEEN BEDRIDDEN FOR THE LAST FIVE HOURS! HOW ARE YOU FEELING?"
Five hours? Chara frowned. That was far longer than what they had experienced in the dreamscape. But then again, who knew what sort of time rules the dreamscape abided by?"Rather well, I think." They answered, rubbing a hand over their eyes. "Far better than how I was before, anyhow."
"NOT GONNA FAINT ANYMORE?"
"No, I should certainly hope not. I was more worried for your health actually."
Papyrus laughed at that. "WELL, THAT'S SILLY! WHY WOULD YOU WORRY ABOUT THAT?"
"Given how you were running from a pack of dogs while carrying a deadweight? I was afraid we wouldn't make it. I admit I half expected myself to wake up in a prison cell."
"OOH, YOU UNDERESTIMATE ME, LITTLE HUMAN! I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, HAVE MADE A PROMISE TO HELP YOU, AND I HAVE NEVER FAILED TO KEEP A PROMISE IN MY LIFE!"
"Have you now?" Chara gave an amused grin. "I do suppose that my fear is unfounded. Perhaps I have underestimated you." They chuckled playfully, making the skeleton do the same. "How are you, sir? I worried for you when I couldn't find you in the cave. What were you doing just now?"
"I'M DOING GREAT! I WAS JUST PATROLLING THE AREA AND MAKING SURE NO ONE WAS COMING THIS WAY OR FOLLOWED US HERE."
"Ah, good man. Any signs of the dogs then?"
"NOPE! THOSE GUYS HAVEN'T EVEN COME CLOSE TO FINDING US SO FAR! I MADE SURE TO HIDE US IN A PLACE THAT'S AWAY FROM THEIR USUAL PATROL ROUTES YOU SEE! IT'LL TAKE THEM A WHILE TO FIND US."
"I see." Chara sighed in relief before glancing back at the cliff. They frowned, nibbled on their lips then turning back to the skeleton with a decision. "Alright then. Let us move out. We've overstayed our welcome."
Papyrus blinked in surprise. "ERR, WHAT? NOW? BUT YOU JUST WOKE UP!"
"Indeed, but I'm afraid our pursuers care little of such facts. The longer we stay, the more chances of us being found. Come, we leave in five." Without waiting, Chara walked around the skeleton and began sauntering back to the cave. Papyrus, his skull face gaping in shock, quickly followed suit.
"H-HEY, WAIT! WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT? YOU CAN BARELY WALK! YOU NEED TO REST MORE!" Papyrus insisted but Chara wasn't fazed.
"What I need, dear Papyrus,is not to get caught. Now let's go."
"NO NO NO! WAIT A MINUTE!" The skeleton jumped in front of them, blocking their path.
Chara stopped and crossed their arms, unimpressed. "I'm afraid this is not up for debate. We stay here any longer and we risk getting caught."
"WE CAN AFFORD TO STAY ANOTHER HOUR." Papyrus suggested. "YOU LEAVE RIGHT NOW AND YOU'LL FALL OVER FROM YOUR INJURIES! YOU NEED TO REST."
"I've rested enough. Another hour isn't going to change that."
"DON'T UNDERESTIMATE THE POWER OF POWER NAPS! AND WE CAN'T JUST WALK AWAY WHENEVER WE WANT. WE'LL RUN INTO TROUBLE!"
"We're fugitives, Papyrus. I think we're already introuble."
"THAT DOESN'T MEAN WE CAN'T FALL INTO BIGGER TROUBLE! WE NEED PLANS! STRATEGIES!"
"That's…" Chara opened their mouth but their retort quickly died in their throat. "A plan. Right. Yes, that... would be good." They cleared their throat, cheeks flushing an embarrassed red. "B-but we still can't stay here. We've already done so for far too long."
"WE'LL DO IT AS QUICK AS WE CAN! IT'LL ONLY TAKE AN HOUR!"
"An hour is much too long."
"LESS THAN AN HOUR THEN!" Papyrus said, persistent. "LOOK AT YOURSELF. YOU WON'T LAST AN HOUR OUTSIDE RIGHT NOW. YOU NEED TO RECOVER OR ELSE YOU WON'T GET ANYTHING DONE!"
Chara dropped their gaze to the ground, biting their lips. They very much wished to ignore him and get a move on. Being pursued, especially through the woods, was one of the things that made them beyond anxious. Too many bad memories strung along with it: memories of distant gunshots, screams, and grubby hands beating them to submission.
But he did have a very good point: They had no proper plan. Getting one of the canines to help them in their search for the child had been their original goal, and now that that plan was out of the picture, they had no idea what else to do, where to go. If they were to leave now, they would most likely end up roaming the forest blindly until they collapsed from their injuries or be found by one of the patrolling guards.
It's alright. He just wants to help. They told themselves, taking in slow, steady breaths. And a plan is a must have regardless of how much rest I get. Listen to him. He speaks sense.
They let out a resigned sigh. They weren't happy about it, but they would endure their discomfort if it meant that they would be more efficient in finding the child.
Anything to find the child.
"Very well then." They huffed finally, and Papyrus visibly relaxed. "I'll rest up a few more minutes while we get our plan sorted out. But once we know what to do, I will not be waiting a second longer. Is that understood?"
"CRYSTAL!" The skeleton saluted, then grinned widely in joy. "COME ON THEN! LET'S GO BACK INTO THE CAVE!"
Chara followed, but only for another two steps. They stopped, their harsh gaze boring into the ground before their feet. In a moment's decision, they looked up. "Papyrus, wait!"
He stopped, turning around with a quizzical look even as his feet kept running in place. "YES? NEED SOMETHING?"
"I…" Chara trailed off, sudden nerve shrinking their voice to a naught. "I… well, you see, I was just..."
"YEAH? WHAT IS IT?" Papyrus coaxed.
Chara clenched their teeth, theirs hands squeezing and twisting at the hem of their oversized scarf. Then, they took in a deep breath, pushing down their pride and began speaking what they believed was needed to be said. "I just wanted to say… Thank you."
The running finally stopped. "UHH, WHAT FOR?"
"You know what for." Chara huffed, "I know I've said it before, but I thought it appropriate, given how you've helped me yet again despite knowing what I am. You saved my life, patched me up and now you're tolerating my rudeness even though you have no reason to. So… yes. You have my thanks. It's the least you deserve."
Chara turned their gaze to the side, staring down at the forest beyond the cliff as their ears tipped a burning red.
The silence from the skeleton made them feel silly and awkward. Had they chosen a bad time to say it? They simply wanted him to know how grateful they were, but perhaps they should have waited until they were back in the cave, or perhaps when they were back in the castle with their father by their side.
Brilliant work, you moron. They scolded themselves. Now you've made him uncomfortable.
Chara sucked in a breath, a hasty apology just on the tip of their tongue when a boney hand suddenly fell on their shoulder.
They looked up, and saw Papyrus giving them a warm, comforting smile.
"HEY NOW. NO NEED FOR ANY THANKS." He said, "I TOLD YOU, I'M JUST DOING MY JOB. ROYAL GUARDS ARE THE CHAMPION OF THE PEOPLE. I'LL ALWAYS COME TO HELP THOSE IN NEED."
Chara didn't know what say. They suddenly felt so silly for how they were acting. "Yes." They whispered quietly, their voice hoarse. "Yes, of course."
"WELL, COME ON!" Papyrus slapped them over the back. "LET'S GET YOU OUT OF THIS COLD! I'LL MAKE YOU SOMETHING TO EAT! THEN, WE CAN START OUR PLANNING!"
With a small nod, Chara walked, guided by the skeleton's hand on their back. Despite the cold wind blowing around them, the scarf around their neck kept them warm and made them forget all about their worries.
"What the bloody hell is this?"
Inside the cave, Chara sat on a log by a fire, staring in horror at the paper plate offered by a smiling Papyrus.
"IT'S SPAGHETTI!" The skeleton answered.
"But… It's purple."
To his credit, the food did appear spaghetti in shape, but it didn't change the fact that the noodle -as well as the napolitana sauce on top- was dyed in a deep, fruity purple.
"Um, when did you make this exactly?"
"ABOUT HALF AN HOUR AGO! A PERFECT TIMING! IT'S COOLED JUST ENOUGH TO EAT NOW, SO HERE YOU GO!"
Chara could not feel even a hint of heat coming from the dish. The purple blob was ice cold. "Um, would it be too much to ask for a can of the grape soda again?" They tried with a waning smile.
It was then that Papyrus began laughing deviously. "NYEH HEH HEH! I THOUGHT YOU MIGHT ASK THAT. AND THAT'S WHY I MADE YOU THIS VERY SPECIAL SPAGHETTI, MY LITTLE HUMAN!"
Chara frowned, a sudden weight pressing down on their gut. "How do you mean, 'special'?"
"WELL, I DON'T USUALLY BRAG, BUT WHILE I WAS WONDERING WHAT YOU WOULD LIKE FOR DINNER, I HAD A CULINARY BREAKTHROUGH! I THOUGHT, 'CHARA LIKES SODA, AND THEY LIKE SPAGHETTI! WHY DON'T I MIX THEM TOGETHER?!' IT'S INGENIUS IF I SAY SO MYSELF."
Chara looked at the plate again, seeing the purple pasta with newfound, horrifying light. "I… see..."
"YEAH! GO ON, TAKE IT! I USED THE LAST OF THE GRAPE SODA ON IT, JUST FOR YOU!"
Papyrus shoved the food and a fork into their fumbling hands.
"Um… thank you." They mumbled, not knowing what else to say.
They stared at the plate, their stomach already churning at the thought of putting its content anywhere near their lips. They scanned the inside of the cave, searching for anything that could save them from their predicament. Dull stalagmites stood around them in utter stillness, as though staring at them and saying 'Go on. Eat it. Eat it, you monkey. This is the most entertainment we've had in years.'
Bloody useless rocks. Chara sneered, but the anger only left them in more hopelessness as they realised that nothing was going to save them from their social obligation.
"WHAT'S WRONG?"
"Hm?" They snapped to attention. "Oh! Nothing. It's… nothing."
They smiled unconvincingly before raising their fork high to demonstrate that they were about to proceed with what felt like their death sentence. They looked down and gulped down their primal terror that was screaming at them to throw the dish into the air and run, preferably off the cliff.
They poked the pasta, and winced when the fork and the food met with an echoing chink. When they lifted the fork again, there was a hard dent on the purple blob. The food almost appeared metallic.
"Papyrus?"
"YES?"
"May I ask where you put the empty aluminium can after you mixed the soda in?"
The skeleton tilted his head. "WHAT DO YOU MEAN? I PUT THE SODA IN THE SPAGHETTI, REMEMBER?"
Chara stared at the food.
Upon closer inspection, there appeared to be thin black scribbling over some of the noodles. Upon an even closer inspection, they noted that one scribbling read 'Sweet and refreshing soda! Proudly produced by Mettatton Inc!'.
They put their fork down and placed the plate on their lap.
"So, what's our plan then? Let's get that straight."
"NYEH?" Papyrus blinked. "OH, THE PLAN! YES, WELL, I HAVEN'T REALLY THOUGHT ABOUT IT YET BUT I DID HAVE AN IDEA."
"Oh really? Please, do go on." Chara smiled, and without taking their eyes off of the skeleton, they placed their plate onto the ground besides them.
"WELL, NOW THAT WE CAN'T GET HELP FROM MY COMRADES, I THOUGHT WE COULD MEET MY OTHER FRIEND FOR HELP."
"Oh? And who is this friend, I wonder?" They shifted their foot, slowly pushing the plate away from the skeleton's sight.
"HIS NAME IS SNOWMAN! HE HAS THIS COOL MAGIC THAT LETS HIM SEE THINGS WITH HIS WHOLE BODY! HE CAN'T MOVE EITHER SO HE'S BEEN STARING AT THE SAME OLD PLACE HIS ENTIRE LIFE!"
Chara nodded along before frowning when they felt the plate get stuck somewhere. They scowled. "Well, that is very interesting, but how does that help us?"
"NOT MUCH!" Papyrus blinked again. "UHH, WHY DID YOU SPEAK WEIRD JUST NOW?"
"Weird? I have no idea what you're talking about." Chara kicked the plate for the fifth time, yet even still the plate did not budge. They rolled their eyes and let out a loud huff. "Why do you want us to meet him if you think he's not going to help?"
"HM, YEAH, WELL, IT'S MORE OF A TEMPORARY STOP THAN A DESTINATION. THE PLACE HE'S AT IS NEAR WHERE ICE CAP AND JERRY HANGS OUT, SO THERE'S A CHANCE THAT HE MAY HAVE SEEN SOMETHING TODAY."
"Can we afford such distraction? We need something more solid than a 'may have'."
"SURE WE CAN! IF WE MAKE OUR ROUTE PASS THROUGH THERE, WE WON'T BE WASTING TIME AT ALL!"
"That is if we knew where we were going in the first place. We still don't have a destination."
Papyrus hummed to himself, looking away, and Chara took the opportunity to find out what had happened to the plate. When they took a subtle glance down, they found that they had pushed the plate into the crease between the ground and the log where they were sitting on.
They looked up. Papyrus was still in his thoughts, his eyes trained on the ceiling above. They ducked and reached down.
"BEDTIME!"
They whipped backup, eyes wide and hair standing on their edge. "I-I beg your pardon?" They stuttered.
"IT'S BEDTIME!" Papyrus repeated. "JERRY AND ICE CAP HAS TO BE BACK HOME BY NOW! OR ELSE THEY'LL GET IN BIG TROUBLE."
They peered down at the plate again, still stuck underneath the log. They pinched their nose bridge with a quite but frustrated sigh. "Alright? Are you sure? What if they've decided to sleep out?"
"NO NO, I WOULD KNOW IF THEY WERE. THEIR PARENTS ASK THE SNOWDIN GUARDS BEFOREHAND TO MAKE SURE THEY DON'T STAY OUT TOO LONG ON THOSE DAYS. WAIT, GIMME A SECOND..." Papyrus whipped out his phone and began tapping at the screen. Then, in a moment he held it up, showing Chara a screen with a message that read, "He's home now. Do you want to talk to him today?"
Chara read the message twice over before raising their brow. "What is this?"
"A MESSAGE FROM ICE CAP'S MUM! SHE MESSAGED ME BACK! HE'S HOME RIGHT NOW!"
Chara's other brow rose to join the first. "Then... we know how to find him."
"YES!"
If they had been standing Chara might have fallen on their behind. As they were now, all they could do was stare at the fire before them with unblinking eyes. "W-we need to get there." They took in a deep breath. "We need to get there. Now."
"OF COURSE!" Papyrus puffed his chest. "YOU FINISH YOUR FOOD, I'M GOING TO DRAW US A MAP!"
Chara paused, blinking out of their revere. "Uhh, yes, the food, right. I haven't finished it."
"YEAH! YOU JUST SORT OF PUT IT ON THE GROUND AND STARTED KICKING AT IT. IS THAT A HUMAN THING? YOU NEED SOME SALT?"
Chara nearly slapped a hand over their face. "No, it's perfectly fine without salt. Thank you very much." They growled between their teeth.
"WELL, EAT UP THEN! A BIT OF MY CULINARY MASTERPIECE WILL BE ENOUGH TO HEAL YOU TO YOUR FULL POTENTIAL!"
"Quite. A bit of monster food is exactly what I need. Oh but would you look at that! What is that, I wonder?"
"NYEH?" Papyrus turned to look over his shoulder.
Not missing a beat, Chara whipped down, grabbed plate and flung it towards the exit of the cave with all their might, shooting a ball of magic to propel it out and beyond. They also threw a fireball after it just to be sure.
"WHAT AM I LOOKING AT?"
Chara sat back down, a content smile on their face. "Oh, it's not there anymore. A trick of the eyes, I suppose."
"HUH. OKAY." Papyrus turned back, then looked down at the human's neatly folded hands with a scowl. "UH, WHAT HAPPENED TO YOUR FOOD?"
"Hm?" Chara tilted their head with a wide smile. "Oh the food. Yes, well, I'm afraid I've finished it all while you were looking away."
Papyrus frowned. "BUT WHAT HAPPENED TO THE PLATE?"
"The plate? Uhh… I've… eaten that as well! Yes. It appears I was quite more famished than I thought. Thank you for that."
"HUMANS... CAN EAT PAPER?"
"Humans can eat almost anything when things get desperate. Shall we flesh out our plan now?"
"UM, YEAH, I GUESS? IF YOU'RE THAT HUNGRY, I CAN GIVE YOU SECONDS?"
"NO!" Chara placed a hand over their mouth before coughing. "I mean, no thank you. I've had plenty, and I really don't think giving me any more would be healthy for someone my size."
"O…KAY? IF YOU'RE SURE?"
"I am." Chara sighed and not just as a sign to end the line of conversation. They looked up, a bright smirk on their lips. "Now. Let us talk plans."
The planning went on for another half an hour with the two of them going over facts and proposing speculations and possible actions they may take to counter it. Having Papyrus was a tremendous asset, as it had proven to be so time and time again. He knew each of the Canine patrol routes as well as ones they took in case of an emergency search. The search routes were usually reserved for missing children and others who may get lost in the forest, but it would be used in case of any enemy hunt as well. Using the notepad he pulled from his chest cavity, Papyrus drew them a map and the potential 'danger area' where the Canines would be likely to catch them. Then, with a red pen, he drew an illusive path that curved and strayed around each area.
Chara studied the path. It was a complex route with several back paddling, but it did avoid all the danger zones and lead them out of the forest, straight into Snowdin town.
And it would only take us an hour. They thought.
One hour. That was all it was going to take them to find the culprit. Finally, they were making progress to their search, if not ending it right there and then. They wouldn't have been able to do it without Papyrus, and this fact made them enormously grateful, and terribly guilty at the same time.
"Are you… okay with this?" Chara spoke out after what seemed like hours of contemplating.
"OKAY WITH WHAT?" Papyrus looked at them quizzically.
"Helping me." Chara elaborated. "Are you okay with it?"
"UHH, YEAH? WHY WOULDN'T I BE?"
"Because you're now a fugitive as well. I've costed you your job. Your dream."
"OH." Papyrus paused, his puzzled frown turning sad. "THAT'S… THAT'S ALRIGHT. IT'S NOT A BIG DEAL."
"Not a big deal? Papyrus, this is your dream we speak of. Your dream always matters. What else would you live for?" Chara's throat choked at the sight of the skeleton's wounded face. They took a step back, feeling like they've just physically struck their poor companion. "I… I'm not helping much am I? I'm sorry. I do not mean to have a dig at your situation. I just… What you've done... It's already is enough to get you court martialed. I do not want you imprisoned for helping me further. It's a possibility that I don't find very… agreeable."
Papyrus watched them silently, his smile now gone, replaced by one of sadness. Chara's stomach clenched at the sight, and they looked down at the map in their hand.
"You don't have to help me anymore." They began quietly. "If I simply follow this map, I can find Ice Cap and Jerry by myself and lead the investigation from there. You can go back to your comrades, tell them that I forced you to help me, that I… had some leverage against you and was threatening you. You can-"
A boney arm wrapped around their shoulder and pulled them into a half hug.
Chara blinked, then looked up at the skeleton in surprise.
"Papyrus?"
"YOU'VE…" He turned to them. "YOU'VE BEEN ALONE FOR A VERY LONG TIME, HUH?"
It was spoken as a question, but it felt more like a statement. Chara almost wanted to laugh at it, but when they looked up at Papyrus' pitying smile, their throat tightened up.
"I… don't see what that has to do with anything."
"HEY NOW, IT WASN'T AN ACCUSATION." He reassured with a warm grin. "LET ME ASK YOU SOMETHING, CHARA: DREAMS ARE VERY IMPORTANT TO PEOPLE. THEY LIVE FOR IT, AS YOU SAY. THEY STRIVE FOR IT. EVERY MORNING PEOPLE WAKE UP, JUST TO GET A TINY BIT CLOSER TO IT. BUT DO YOU KNOW WHAT'S MORE IMPORTANT TO PEOPLE THAN THAT? THAN THEIR OWN DREAM?"
Chara blinked then shook their head. They truly did not know the answer.
"FRIENDS." The skeleton said simply. "FRIENDS ARE SO MUCH MORE IMPORTANT, DON'T YOU THINK?"
Chara was quiet for a moment. "But you turned your backs against your friends by helping me."
"YEAH WELL." He shrugged. "FRIENDS GET INTO SCUFFLE SOMETIMES. THEY GET INTO ARGUMENTS AND DISAGREEMENTS. IT CAN'T BE HELPED. IT HAPPENS. BUT IF THAT'S ALL THAT IT TAKES TO BREAK OFF YOUR FRIENDSHIP, IT WASN'T MUCH OF A FRIENDSHIP IN THE FIRST PLACE." Papyrus sat up then, the melancholy disappearing from his face as the usual energetic smile returned. "YEAH. ME AND THE DOGS ARE A LOT BETTER FRIENDS THAN THAT. AND EVEN IF THAT'S NOT THE CASE, I'LL STILL BE FINE WITH THIS. EVEN IF I DO LOSE MY JOB, EVEN IF I GO TO PRISON. I'M DOING THIS BECAUSE YOU'RE MY FRIEND. EVERYTHING'S GOING TO BE FINE."
"Papyrus…"
"HEY!" The skeleton suddenly exclaimed, looking at them with a twinkle in his eyes. "YOU KNOW WHAT WE SHOULD DO? WE SHOULD GO AND GET SOME NICE CREAM! NICE CREAM MAN WORKS LATE INTO THE NIGHT AND HE HAS A STORE JUST ON THE WAY HERE. WHAT DO YOU SAY?"
Chara swallowed hard and took several seconds to compose themselves before they could speak again. "That sounds lovely, dear sir, but I don't wish to take your money after everything you've done so far."
"NONSENSE! THAT'S WHAT FRIENDS ARE FOR!" The skeleton laughed, but he abruptly paused a second later, his face turning uncertain. "UMM, WE ARE FRIENDS, RIGHT?" He asked sheepishly. "I KNOW WE'VE NEVER SAID IT OUT LOUD BUT I JUST KINDA ASSUMED, YOU KNOW? UHH, SORRY IF THAT MAKES YOU UNCOMFORTABLE."
Chara was speechless. They couldn't believe that he was being serious right now. "No, of course not sir. You are right. We are friends. We are definitely friends."
"OH! GREAT!" Papyrus' expression lit up like a lightbulb. "THEN LET'S FOCUS ON RESCUING YOUR 'CHILD', MY DEAR FRIEND!" He gasped, his gloved hands slapping over his cheek as a dreamy look came over his face. "OH! THAT'S A GREAT FEELING! MY FRIEND! YOU'RE MY FRIEND CHARA! MY VERY FIRST HUMAN FRIEND! DO YOU THINK YOUR 'CHILD' WILL BECOME MY FRIEND TOO?"
"I have no doubt." Chara smiled knowingly. "In fact, let me loop you in on a secret." They leaned forward, darted their eyes side to side as if to check for any eavesdroppers and ushered Papyrus to do the same. When he did so with a curious look, Chara leaned further towards his ear and whispered, "I have a gut feeling, that the two of you? Will become the most best of friends. Ones that will stay for life."
Papyrus pulled back and looked at them with the same gleeful shock of a child being told that he'll be having chocolate cake for dinner. "WOWEE! I CAN'T BELIEVE YOUR GUT PREDICT THOSE THINGS! I WISH I HAD ORGANS TO DO THAT! IT LOOKS LIKE EVERY CARD ON THE TABLE IS COMING UP PAPYRUS!"
Chara smiled, watching the joy in the skeleton's face, his previous grimness nowhere to be found. It was amusing seeing him bounce between a responsible adult and a gormless child. It made him approachable, but also reliable when it truly mattered. No wonder the child had said that he was one of their best friends. Chara wondered how it was for Frisk to meet him for the first time. Had he been kind? Had he tried his odd puzzles on them?
Child. They thought, feeling for their connection without meaning to. The emptiness they felt made them grimace, but it was pushed away by pure resolve, their blood red eyes glowing with determination.
"It's time for us to move."
"What's the time now?"
"TEN TWENTY FIVE!"
"Five minutes then."
Chara let out a loud huff, adjusting the oversized orange scarf around their neck to give themselves some breathing room.
The plan was simple: Leave the cave, snake around the major search area and get to Snowdin town where they can confront Ice cap and Jerry. Fewer steps in a plan meant that there were fewer points of failure, after all. But regardless of how many there were, the points of failure still existed. Once they were out and walking about, they were going to have to move fast and discreet.
The major search area according to Papyrus was the 'official' search routes for the Royal guards, but there was actually very little that was stopping them from deviating from it. In fact, if the skeleton was to be believed, the Canine units were apparently known to be a little unpredictable in their widescale movement. There were bound to be overlaps between their path and the human-monster duo's. The two of them weren't going to have the time to hide their tracks once they were moving; footprints in the snow will be easy to trace; and the scent track they leave behind will be even more useful to the dogs. Once they were moving, they had to move fast, and there wasn't going to be any rest until they reached their goal.
But before that…
"Um, Papyrus?"
"YES?" Papyrus turned to them, putting out the last bits of their campfire with a handful of snow.
"Would you mind if I stepped outside first? I would like to get my muscles used to the outside temperature before we start moving."
Papyrus frowned. "YOU HAVE TO DO THAT? BLOODED CREATURES ARE WEIRD."
Chara merely smiled at the comment and hurried out of the cave, meeting the freezing air with a small bristle. They puffed a soft breath into their palm, shivering and feeling their wounds numb to the temperature. They hurried further out, a good few meters away from the mouth of the cave where they stopped and began looking about for a certain paper plate and purple aluminium mixed spaghetti.
They hadn't had the magic to sustain the flames before, meaning that the so called 'food' Papyrus gave them was still out here somewhere, still in tact instead of burnt to ash. If Papyrus came out here and accidentally found out that his new friend threw away his food, he would no doubt be hurt, or perhaps even worse: he might force them to eat his food. Neither outcomes were particularly desirable. While it was true that they hadn't healed all that much from the sleep alone, they were certain that Papyrus' cooking would do them more harm than good.
They scanned the area with their eyes alone, guessing that finding a blob of purple would be an easy task given the white background everywhere. And they were correct. Not even ten seconds of searching, they found the lump of spaghetti rolling about in the nearby snow, only half buried away from sight.
They quickly approached it, fully intent on kicking it off the cliff before anyone else found it. Or perhaps they could hide it under the lumps of snow that seemed to be all over the field. That'd be a nasty surprise for anyone who wants to clean up this place. Entertaining that trail of thought, they reached out with their foot to roll the discarded food into a large snowball.
Then, the moment the tip of their shoe touched the purple blob, a white paw reached out and touched it from the side.
Chara whipped their head and was met with the beady eyes of a little white dog in a squire's armour.
Eyes wide, Chara's heart dropped to the pit of their stomach.
"L… Lessie?"
The pup rolled out his tongue in a happy smile, his tail wagging furiously with excitement. "Arf! Arf!"
"CHARA!"
Chara whipped around back towards the cave. Papyrus was outside, sprinting towards them at first, but he quickly skidded to a halt when he was suddenly surrounded by three dogs of his own, each wielding an axe or a sword.
"Papyrus!" Chara took a half step forward, the need to help out their friend driving them, but then they looked down at themselves: their bandaged body, the purple bruises and yellow ointment peaking out around the edge. Their muscles still spasmed with aches with every step they took, clenched with every movement they made. Traveling through the forest as they were now was already going to be an arduous task. They were definitely in no shape to fight three Royal guards at once.
Three guards?
Chara barely had a moment to gasp before they were jumping away to the side, just in time for a white fist to come down onto the now empty spot like a sledgehammer, causing the surrounding snow to leap up into the air in a small explosion. Chara covered their face with both arms, shielding their eyes from the shrapnels of rock, ice and snow.
Something twisted, and their entire body contorted as a loud roar ripped out of their throat. They landed not a few meter away, sheer willpower keeping them from falling over completely, and even then they still dropped to one knee. They wrapped their arms around their gut, their innards squirming like a worm on dry land. There was no blood, but dark bruise beneath the bandages burned as though someone had punched them over and over again. Their eyes watering with pain, they looked up to find the black eyes of a giant armoured dog looking down at them with a playful smile.
"Bow wow." He barked, his deep voice booming through the air like a trombone.
Chara snarled. Their body wasn't ready for a fight, especially for one they've lost before. They needed to run, but where could they possibly go?
The giant dog -Greater Dog, according to Papyrus- swung his fist at them again.
They forced their screaming body to duck away, then sidestepped the spear that stabbed straight for their chest. The stab quickly turned into a swipe, and they, with their body battered and in agony, was much too slow to dodge it. Cold metal plunged into their flesh and slid across their abdomen like a skater on an ice rink. They cried out, pressing their hand over the burning wound as they back paddled away.
The ground before them exploded again, Greater Dog's fist creating a large shockwave that threw them off their feet and onto their back. They landed with a thud, their expression a mix of shock, anger and confusion as they held onto their gut. Slowly, they lifted one trembling arm up and held it over their face for examination. Their limb came stained with a thin streak of red, and they knew that underneath both the bandages and their shirt, there was a bloody mess that was slowly killing them with each second that passed.
Move. The voices hissed. Move now or you will die.
Chara turned over with a groan and tried to crawl, dragging their body across the snow with one arm and two knees.
They couldn't let it end like this. They've made a promise to the child. They were only now finally getting somewhere.
But despite their wishes, reality proved to be a cruel mistress.
A large shadow loomed above them, its mountainous form grand and menacing.
Chara glared up, and the giant dog smiled back.
Metal gauntlet reached down, and Chara, in a desperate act of defiance, threw a small ball of fire at the monster's face. He spun his spear around once and knocked the attack away like swatting a fly, but the fire was never meant to harm the dog in any way.
Using that moment of distraction, Chara kicked at the ground, frantically bringing themselves to a stand and made a run for it to the side, away from the guards.
They knew that it was futile, that they were much too slow even without their injuries to outrun a fully trained guard dogs. But they had to try. It was all they could truly do. If they were to be caught, they were going to go out fighting. They wouldn't ever forgive themselves otherwise.
Then, as quickly as they began to run, they tripped.
They didn't trip on anything per se, but the ground beneath them simply seemed to disappear, and they began to fall down.
Fall.
And fall.
And fall.
And it was only after three seconds that they noticed that they were still falling, the wind blowing all around them, from the side, upwards, and below.
As they focused their eyes, they realised the dogs were nowhere to be found, and that there was a top of a cliff side before them in the distance becoming further and further away. And they finally realised: They were falling.
"CHARA!" Papyrus' head poked out of the cliff's edge, watching them in horror. But there was nothing he could do.
Shit. Chara thought, and silently, they plunged into the dark forest below, falling down the full ten storeys to their certain doom.
A/N: Aaaand done. This chapter and the next was supposed to be just one chapter, but the cliffhanger was too obvious to not go for it.
The next chapter will be a short one as well, so let's hope I can make it fun enough.
Ideas abandoned for this chapter: Chara & Papyrus cooking show! Chara, the terrible cook. Chara, the excellent cook. Dancing mushrooms. And pies.
Up next: The hidden boon