Chapter 21. Wisdom

White.

Loneliness.

Fear.

In the vast abyss, the air seemed to have all but gone away. Attempting to breathe once more, a small child clenched their chest, floating in the void. In the sea of black and white, a figure stood, equal in stature to the innocent one. A silhouette of dancing pixels whose face could hardly be seen. A lost soul whose voice could barely be heard.

The child called Frisk began to move their lips in hopes that a sound would come out, although they weren't entirely sure that they wanted it to. "Well..." Their voice shook. "You would never do that..." The child's voice growing more hoarse as they proceeded. "You would never kill people… right?"

A cluster of static flickered uncontrollably, its rational thought shaking just as heavily. "Frisk," The lost soul admitted sadly. "...that's what I said, too." The black and white stripes of the soul's shirt quivered, and it raised up its arms, holding itself for stability. "You wouldn't understand."

Frisk shook their head, a bit offended by the statement. "I think you would know more than anyone."

The white form looked up at their counterpart. It knew as well as Frisk that they were capable of understanding, so long as proper context was provided. The soul nodded its head. "You're right," It replied. "Hurting anyone is not something I would ever do intentionally." The glowing figure curled up on itself and turned away slightly. "But Chara… they're surprisingly… persuasive."

The innocent youth grew uncomfortable with the soul's reports. "I'm afraid," Frisk inferred. "What kind of things could a person say to convince someone to do… something they would never consider?"

"I know exactly what you mean," The soul assured lowly. "It's because of our shared power. The ability to reset time..." It continued, relaxing its tense shoulders. "Chara told me that when we reset, all the way, that is… that anyone who had fallen down would be brought back to normal." The lost soul saw Frisk's expression towards this notion, one of skepticism. "And it was true!" It assured. "Because I did hurt someone, and… I was so terrified by my actions, I just had to do whatever I could to fix it." The white image shook their fists at themselves, both excited and scared. "Chara didn't lie. I reset out of fear and guilt, and it was as they said! Monster's who had turned to dust… by my hand… the creatures were okay! And none of them remembered me."

"So..." Frisk started up accusatively. "Because you could reset, you thought it was okay to hurt people...?" They said rather bluntly, before realizing how rude they might have sounded.

"I know how it sounds," White pixels dancing over the souls tears. "I haven't made very many good decisions in my life. But I'm not gonna pretend this is one of them." It brought its hands up to its face, as if the glitched static was not enough to conceal their uncontrollable emotions. Its voice finally cracked. "I'm such a horrible person."

Frisk's heart sank deep within their chest, and a large lump swelled up painfully in their throat, preventing them, too, from speaking properly. "No you're not..." Frisk croaked, losing themselves as well. "It's okay..." They attempted to ease the soul. Frisk drifted closer to comfort their twin.

"Th-thank you..." The lost soul sniffed. "I'm so sorry… I didn't mean to fall apart like that..." The entity wiped away at their face, which probably would have been bright red, had it not been for the lack of hue in the environment. "You're reminding me of what a true friend is." The soul started up. "True friends are there to comfort me… and make me feel loved. I can't believe I have forgotten..."

Holding the soul close, Frisk perked up. "How could you ever forget a friend?"

The soul wiped thoroughly away at its nose. "I thought Chara was my friend." Its voice cracking under the pressure. "Chara would go on and on about how they were my closest friend… That they chose me to borrow their reset abilities. And in turn, that they should borrow control over my body. I didn't trust them at first, of course, but when you have a voice in your head that is very persistent…? It can get pretty grating after awhile." The soul sighed deeply from the words overflowing from its breath. "Chara told me I could live a life with no consequences, and after some time… I believed them. They made me believe their lies over and over. Chara is manipulative and cruel, and I'm a fool for having let them into my life this way..." Broken squares danced disjointedly, the white figure curling in on itself. "But… all I was really trying to do in the end… was gain their trust. I wanted Chara to see that I was their friend. All I really wanted to do was save them…" It explained in a higher tone, its personal assurance wavering. "But they played me, and that's what really makes me a fool."

Frisk listened for a long time, completely uncertain of how to respond. "I'm… so sorry that happened to you." Their voice shaking, doubtful that such a response was even helpful. "To think that... there could be one person incapable of saving… especially someone as determined as you… or me."

The lost soul sniffed under its breath. "Thank you, Frisk..." It started up shakily. "I envy you."

The child stumbled over their thoughts, a bit caught off guard by their reflection's statement. "E-envy? Why on earth would you envy me?" Frisk asked tentatively, pulling on their short hair. "If anything, I'm jealous of you! You're from a 'normal' timeline, and I'm stuck where I don't belong."

The soul shook its pixelated face. "There's no such thing as a 'normal' timeline, Frisk." It insisted confidently. "There are only timelines that are more similar than others." It paused, debating upon itself. "Listen." The lost soul started up. "Perhaps I am not too keen on the idea of not leaving our… situation behind, and running off to Mt. Ebott," The souls voice slowed as it calculated its choice in words. "But you have something that you've lost in other timelines… something that cannot be regained with resets… something precious."

"I don't understand." Frisk blurted out. "You've gained so many friendships and experiences… and I feel like I've been left behind on everything. I feel clueless and lost."

"Don't be." Their sibling insisted softly. "Those feelings you have are not weakness. In fact, they are a valuable strength."

Frisk shrugged, their mind exhausted. "I don't see how."

The lost soul drifted closer, hoping to express its comforting message. "You are innocent, Frisk."

The child perked up at the soul, their skin feeling something for the first time; a small shock. "Me?" Frisk asked, faltering.

Disconnected static nodded gently. "You are an innocent one, Frisk. Don't be so eager to lose that."

Frisk shook their head wildly, unconvinced the soul was telling the whole truth. "Is that your way of hiding things from me? To keep me in the dark?" The small child insisted. "You sound like a grownup."

"You're mistaken, my friend." The white soul let out. It raised up its hands, and looked down upon its tainted palms sadly. "Though it is true. I have gained relationships and experiences… much more than I would have imagined…" It clenched its fists tightly. "But all of that was my destiny, not yours." The soul rested its tight fists by its side. "Experience is the greatest teacher, but in the real world, learning isn't always a good thing." The soul lowered its head in lament. "It was far too soon for me. I'm too young to have had the experiences I did… and yet here I am." White static raised up just slightly to look at the youth before it. "You see, wisdom is a valuable thing, but innocence holds just as much value. One cannot be wise and innocent at the same time. One value cannot coexist with the other." The soul stood up straight and certain. "And… once innocence is gone and wisdom is in its place… it can never be regained again." It breathed heavily, coming to its conclusion. "So please… place value on your innocence while you still have it."

Frisk analyzed the words for a long time. Their thoughts weaved around inside their head aimlessly, and they swam inside their mind searching for something to say. "I suppose..." Frisk opened their mouth slowly. "Perhaps you are right. I should listen to you." The child continued, still cautious in their words. "I wouldn't lead me astray… would I?"

The lost soul let out a faint chuckle. "No." It assured. "You would have other souls to worry about doing that."

"Chara!" The child called out in recollection. "You have to save them!"

White static drooped in sadness. "Chara cannot be saved." The soul spoke up. "Not by me, anyway. They do not want to be saved."

"What?" Frisk accused. "But you've saved everyone else! Why would this kid be any different?"

"I understand your frustration, Frisk." The white form defined. "But Chara is their own anomaly. And my determination is… unstable. I've lost hope to save them." The soul slouched in defeat. "I've given up."

"No, you can't give up yet!" Frisk insisted, a bit frenzied.

"I know, you're right. But the truth is that I have… in this timeline." The soul wiped the tears from its eyes, and looked up towards its sibling, smiling brightly. Although its face still could not be seen. "But I'd like to think… perhaps in another timeline… Chara does accept my friendship… that Chara can be saved."

The pair stood in silence. Though a happy thought, the bittersweet feelings hung in the air.

"So..." Frisk began, unsettled with their train of thought. "What are we supposed to do about Chara?" The innocent one asked, nervously.

"What is it that you want?" The lost soul insisted. "Do you want to kill them?"

Frisk stumbled over themselves, surprised at the notion. "What? No! I mean… That's what Sans was trying to do, so..."

"I suppose it's probably for the best if you don't. I know a way you can. That is, if that's what you want." The soul glanced down at their side. "I mean, doing so would kill me, too… But I wouldn't mind that so much… I'm pretty much just as guilty..."

"No, no, no!" Frisk spat at their twin. "Stop feeling so down on yourself!" The two gazed upon one another. Frisk finally spoke up once more. "Oh… I see where you're coming from… Frisk."

"It's okay." The static soul mumbled back. "At least someone understands me."

Frisk played with their hands awkwardly, fidgeting. "We need to get rid of Chara." Frisk announced a little more sternly. "In a non-violent way."

The lost soul pondered for quite some time. It had spent so long contemplating its own death. A permanent one. A punishment it had long since convinced itself deserving. After seeing the child growing impatient, an idea finally sprung in its head. "Chara won't reset the timeline." The white soul announced, settled. "I know Chara better than their own mother could." It continued. "I know how to get Chara to go away for good. But you're not gonna like it."

"Anything!" Frisk assured in desperation. "So long as no one has to get hurt."

The soul twiddled its thumbs nervously for a moment, contemplating. "Sans isn't gonna like it either, if he ever finds out..." It whispered to itself.

"What?" Frisk begged the lost soul. "What do we have to do?"

"It's kinda risky… but it might work." The lost soul looked up at Frisk seriously. "Don't tell Sans, okay?"