AN: Hey everyone, sorry I didn't get around to finishing this until now. I've had a lot going on and have been having trouble staying motivated. In order to not leave you hanging like this again, I will not be posting another chapter until I have the rest of the story either completely written up or very nearly finished. Once I do I will be back. In the meantime, I may start posting a different story I've been working on. I really hope you don't mind too much and I promise I will do my best to get back to this within a few months. Thanks for sticking with me and I really hope you enjoy this chapter (the act 3 finale) as I worked really hard and made it as believable as possible. Please let me know what you think :) Your kind words always do wonders to help my motivation.
Disclaimer: Hmm, do I own Undertale? No, no I do not. That honor belongs to the one and only Toby Fox.
Sans sat by the window, looking out at the snowy fields of Snowdin as Frisk, Papyrus, and Flowey made snow sculptures in the front yard. His small family was laughing gleefully and watching them be so happy helped him bury the memory of other timelines deep inside where they couldn't sneak up on him. He'd accepted what had happened and was working to move past his fear. Even all these years later, the short skeleton knew he'd be lying if he said there weren't days when it was still hard to look at the weed without remembering the times he'd killed Pap and the others. The same could be said for Frisk, though in a slightly different sense. Whereas Flowey had no soul to keep him from doing evil, his little girl had pretty much been highjacked and forced against her will to commit the atrocities she had done. He knew that, in truth, neither of the children before him were to blame but he still had bad days every once in a while and today just happened to be one of them.
He'd awoken that morning in a cold sweat, shirt sticking to his bones uncomfortably and his left eye blazing with magic. Sans hadn't had a nightmare of that caliber in months and it caught him off guard. Not only did he dream of Frisk (with Chara processing her) but this time Flowey had teamed up with them as well. The torture he'd witnessed in his dream was as if all the bad timelines had converged into one hellish run and that was the result. The comedian was shaken to his very core, so much so that it took nearly an hour to get his magic back under control. Thankfully no one else had woken up so he was able to calm down on his own for a while. He hated to think what he would have done if either Flowey or Frisk had burst into his room while he'd been in a blind panic.
Now, watching his loved ones having fun, Sans could almost forget why he had been keeping his distance from them. It had taken nearly half the day but he'd managed to calm down enough that he could interact with the kids mostly without his magic trying to flare up. He'd felt terrible refusing Frisk's invitation to play but he didn't want to risk her safety and, since this has happened many times through the years, his little girl knew better than to argue with him. The pun-loving skeleton was so caught up in his thoughts that he hadn't realized a certain flower was no longer fooling around outside the window.
"Hey, Sans?" A squeaky voice spoke up and he whipped around so fast he nearly fell off the chair in surprise. "Uh, sorry, I didn't mean to startle you."
Sans took a couple deep breaths, keeping his left eye turned away from his visitor until he'd managed to suppress the blue glow that had been triggered. So much for being calm.
"No problem, kiddo, though having a talking flower jumpscare you could startle anyone." He said with a small laugh, turning to face the flower child fully. "What did ya need? I thought you were still out playing with the others."
"I wanted to ask you something..." The boy trailed off, unsure how to continue.
"Welp, go on, ask away. These old bones aren't getting any younger." Sans joked, winking in the hope of relieving the other male's worries.
Looking at the timid monster before him he couldn't even glimpse the vile creature from his dream. No, this was the former prince in spirit and soul. There was no trace of the abomination he'd once been other than his flowery form. That thought set Sans' mind at ease and the tension seemed to melt from his bones allowing him to feel better than he had since before the nightmare he'd suffered that morning.
"I... I want to be with my family again." The yellow flower said softly, barely loud enough to be heard over Frisk's and Papyrus' excited shouts.
The jokester grew serious as he carefully knelt down in front of Flowey's flower pot and placed a warm hand on the boy's petals, ruffling them as if they were hair.
"I'm guessing you don't mean our little makeshift family we've got going on here." He stated, more than asked. "Are you sure you're ready for this?"
Tears began streaming down the smaller being's face and he bent his head, unable to look his savior in the eye.
"I'm scared of what they'll think but I... I miss them, Sans. I miss my mom and dad so much." Sans drew the plant closer, allowing the boy to wrap his vines around him as he did the same with his arms. The hug was a little awkward, sure, but it was still a hug.
"I know." He comforted, softly. "I also know that they miss you just as much."
"What if they don't want me now that I'm a flower?" The child sobbed loudly as he buried his face into the other male's hoodie. "What if they turn me away? They must know what I've done, you said you told them about the timelines. I don't think I could stand seeing hatred on their faces, not after everything that's happened!"
"Hey, hey, it's okay. They would never look at you like that." Sans shushed, waiting until the boy's sobs had quieted before he continued. "No one, myself included, hold what happened against you. It's similar to Frisk except for the whole being possessed thing. The point is that neither of you had full control over your actions. You would never have made the decisions you did if your soul would have been intact. Now that it's been returned to you, you have been trying your best to make up for everything and I think that's very commendable of you."
"You do?" The flower child asked, shakily.
"Yup, so cheer up, Asriel," He said, a cheeky grin forming on his face as he took the flower pot into his arms before standing. "I've got a surprise for you."
The plant monster used his leaves in order to wipe the tears from his eyes before he smiled gingerly up at the older being. After informing Papyrus of where they were going and asking if he could watch Frisk for a while, the two were on their way to the lab in Hotland but not before the ten-year-old skelechild rushed up to say goodbye to her daddy and best friend, Fluff trailing along behind.
The lab materialized before them as Sans stepped out from his teleport, the flower pot held securely in his grasp. He swiftly made his way inside and set his cargo carefully on the table before turning to address the flower.
"I've gotta go talk to Dr. Gaster for a sec," Sans informed, already heading towards the elevator that would take him to the true lab. "You gonna be okay waiting here while I get things ready?"
"Yea, yea, go ahead." Flowey agreed, cocking his head to one side as curiosity got the better of him. "But, hey, before you go... what's the surprise you had for me, hmm?"
The skeleton turned back with a smile once he entered the elevator, hands raised in a shrug as he winked cheekily back at his friend. "You'll just have to wait and see, buddy."
Before the former prince was able to say anything in return, the door closed and Sans was gone. Flowey let out a weary sigh as he settled in to wait for the older monster's return.
Meanwhile, Sans stepped out of the elevator and hurriedly made his way to the laboratory he knew his father would be working in. He couldn't keep the smile off his face, though he was slightly nervous. For the last year or so, the scientifically inclined skeleton had been secretly working on a project that he hoped would help Asriel regain his body. He knew it was a long shot but after conferring with his father, they had eventually reached a possible solution. It had taken months of failed attempts and reworking their formula but they had finally succeeded. All that was left was to finalize the process and for that, they needed Flowey's cooperation.
"Heya, dad." He called as he entered the room, noticing the older skeleton mulling about near the table that held their notes. "The kid's finally ready. Looks like we can see if all these months were worth the effort."
"Are you certain, Sans. We don't want to go through with this only for Flowey to regret it later." Gaster spoke wisely, turning to face his youngest child.
"Nah, he won't regret anything, he'll be too busy being smothered by his folks." With that said, Sans walked over to where his father was standing beside a tarp-covered item and pulled it off, revealing a large tube filled with liquid.
Inside (hooked up to a few electrodes and monitors) was the body of a small goat monster and not just any body, but the body of Asriel Dreemurr. "It's a good thing you realized his new form has the same DNA as the one that dusted, otherwise we may never have been able to recreate his body. Thanks to your help that soul of his will actually have the vessel it was meant to have, albeit not the original, but still... we just have to hope that everything goes to plan."
"We have done countless calculations and experiments in preparation for this day." The taller monster reminded him as he wrapped a bony arm around Sans' shoulders. "We can't afford to make any mistakes, not when dealing with a soul. We have taken the necessary precautions. I am certain that all will go well. I trust you, my son. You managed to save me from the Void, this is no more complicated than that. You must believe in yourself."
Sans sighed slightly, causing Gaster to bite back the urge to pull him into a tight embrace. Even after all this time, it was clear that the younger skeleton was still doubtful of himself every now and again. That is why Gaster, along with the rest of their extended family, have taken it upon themselves to remind him of his worth whenever they noticed he was feeling down on himself.
"Right, I'd better go prep Asriel, this is going to be quite the ordeal for him and I don't want him going in blind." The hoodie-clad monster declared, heading back the way he'd come. "It's best if he knows exactly what's about to happen. The last thing we need if for the kid to freak out and mess something up during the procedure. Like you said, we can't afford to make mistakes... there are no second chances this time."
With that, he was gone, leaving Gaster alone in the brightly lit lab. No second chances. That was true. If something did happen to go wrong as it had during his extraction from the Void then that would be it, Flowey's soul would shatter, but he also knew that there was no way he'd allow that to happen. He wasn't overly close with the child, he hadn't been even before the accident, but he knew the pain it would cause his son and granddaughter and that was enough to have him checking their notes one final time.
-XXX-XXX-XXX-
Flowey stared around the room he'd been left in, bored out of his mind as he awaited the return of his former enemy. He was thankful that their enmity was in the past and he and Sans were now friends. He didn't know what would have happened to him if the stocky skeleton hadn't made him realize that his soul had reappeared. All of a sudden the door swished open, startling the small monster out of his thoughts as Sans walked in.
"What's wrong, bonehead?" The plant monster joked, wanting to draw a smile from the other male once he'd noticed the unusually serious expression on Sans' face. "I haven't seen you wear that expression since Frisk and I nearly blew up the microwave a few weeks ago."
"Yea, that was a real dish-aster... and the reason I've told you two never to put aluminum in the microwave." The slipper-wearing skeleton chuckled quietly as he took a seat beside Flowey. "Seriously though, are you ready to know why I brought you here?"
A slight feeling of apprehension coursed through the smaller being as he nodded. That pun had been pushing it, and when Sans struggled to pull off puns you knew there was something important weighing on his mind. He watched as his companion took a deep breath and slowly reached out a tendril for support. What could be causing the older monster so much concern and why did it involve him? What kind of surprise was this? Suddenly Flowey wasn't so sure he wanted to know anymore, but as Sans opened his mouth to speak, he realized it was too late to change his mind.
"Listen, kid," Sans addressed him, shrugging off the vine in order to face him fully. "For the last twelve months, I've been working on a secret project with a bit of help from my dad. I knew that you'd eventually want to return to your family now that you've got your soul back but I knew you'd be worried what they'd think. As I told you earlier today, they love you and will continue to do so no matter what form you're in... whether you stay a flower or return to being Asriel."
The child's eyes widened in confusion as he stared at the other being. He didn't know what to say at first, it was hard to understand what Sans was talking about. Finally, he decided to ask rather than contemplate something he didn't fully comprehend.
"What do you mean? 'Return to being Asriel', that's not even possible! My body turned to dust..." He trailed off as the scientist nodded in agreement.
"Exactly," Sans stated, holding up his finger to make a point. "Your body turned to dust and what, may I ask, did that dust cover?"
He waited for the answer, when none was forthcoming he decided that it hadn't just been rhetorical and that his friend was actually waiting for him to respond. So, with slightly narrowed eyes and a bit of annoyance in his tone, he gave the skeleton what he wanted.
"My dust covered the golden flowers." He said, slowly, continuing in exasperation at the smile he received. "I don't see what that's got to do with anything! That's the whole reason I'm stuck like this to begin with!"
Flowey immediately calmed as he felt a soft hand placed on the back of his stem and he was pulled into a gentle hug. When he'd first gotten his soul back he'd been wary of being touched but then he'd come to realize how nice it felt for someone to embrace you when you were upset. The flower had started seeking out the warm feeling he got whenever someone hugged him, pulled him close, or even just brushed against him. He hadn't noticed at the time but he'd been touch starved. Sans had once again been the first to notice his behavior and had since done his best to make up for the years that Asriel had gone without contact. Now it served as a soothing balm to his frazzled nerves and he nearly melted into the embrace as the other monster began speaking once more.
"Asriel, your dust covered those flowers and allowed you be reborn," Sans spoke in a voice that was both quiet and knowing. "In doing so, it permitted this body to have the same DNA."
"What are you saying?" Flowey asked in a whisper, allowing a bit of hope to enter his voice as he gazed up at the larger monster. "I... I don't understand."
Sans smiled down at him with such warmth that it felt as if he was seeing the sun for the first time. It made him feel safe and secure.
"I've been working on recreating your body from a sample of DNA I took a year ago. Gaster has been helping me and we've finally finished." He explained and Flowey felt his soul swell with hope even as his eyes filled with moisture. "Now, it's your choice, I'm not going to pressure you, but if you want we can perform the procedure to transfer your soul. Otherwise, if you want to remain Flowey for the time being, that is entirely fine as well. Like I said, this is totally up to you."
The small monster was struck speechless as unbidden tears slowly trailed down his cheeks. He knew what he'd heard but he just couldn't seem to believe it. This was all too good to be true! He could get his body back? He wouldn't have to live as a flower anymore? Glancing up with uncertain eyes, Flowey was met with the sight of his friend's calm face and he knew what he wanted to do... he just had one final question to ask before he agreed.
"Do you... do you think mom and dad will take me back after everything I've done?" Flowey mumbled, using his vines to pull himself closer to the skeleton before burying his face in the soft material of the older monster's hoodie. "Do you think they still want me?"
He felt Sans once again wrap his arms softly around his smaller form and sighed in relief. The boy's nerves were pretty much frayed at this point and he didn't think he'd have been able to handle all this information if not for the other male's support.
"Of course they want you." The skeletal monster replied, honestly. "I've seen how torn apart they were over your death and I know they'd give anything to be able to have you back. Remember what I told you this morning?"
"You said that no one blames me for what I did when I didn't have a soul." The plant muttered, still having a hard time accepting that.
"That's right, they'll understand what happened just like I did. Sure they'll be sad, but mostly because you had to go through all of that on your own. Toriel and Asgore are going to see how hard you've been working to set everything right and you'd better believe they're going to be proud of you." The comedian said, truth ringing in his voice. "Asriel, they are going to be so happy to have you back with them. You have absolutely nothing to worry about. Welp, except for being crushed by their hugs but I'm sure you won't mind that."
Flowey let out a watery laugh as Sans winked. Slowly, he moved back and used one of his vines to wipe the tears from his eyes, glancing up a few seconds later with resolve filling his face.
"Alright, I... I think I'm ready." He said, allowing his friend to carefully pick him up off the ground. "Uh, will it... hurt?"
"It shouldn't, not if everything goes right, and I guarantee that it will. We're not taking chances, not with this." The reply was instantaneous, no doubt to be heard in the skeleton's voice.
Flowey only nodded as they continued their journey through the lab until they came to a room with Gaster standing toward the back near an odd looking tube. Inspecting the so-called tube more carefully, Flowey let out a gasp, leaves flying up to his mouth as his eyes opened wider than he knew they could. Inside the tube... was him. Well, his body at least. It had been so long since he'd seen his former self, he'd nearly forgotten what he'd looked like.
"Hello Flowey, are you ready for the procedure?" It took a few moments to realize that Gaster had been speaking to him but then he slowly nodded, not trusting his voice due to the many emotions racing through him.
"Alright kiddo, here's what's going to happen." Sans began to explain further as the older skeleton carefully took notes. "The body you see here is in a form of stasis at the moment, it won't awake until it's reunited with its rightful soul. That's where you come in. We are going to summon your soul as if entering a fight, but instead we'll use our magic to carefully maneuver it into the new vessel. Since it's made from your DNA your soul should bond with it almost immediately. We imagine it'll take some getting used to and you'll probably feel pretty weak at first. Don't worry, that's completely normal. It'll take some time to rebuild your strength."
"I won't have to be treated like a baby, will I?" The flower child asked, beginning to worry about his decision.
"Nah, nothing like that." His friend reassured as the other scientist smiled soothingly. "It may be difficult to walk in the beginning since you haven't had legs for a while but, other than that, you'll most likely just get tired out easily and your magic will be low for a bit. Nothing to worry about."
Flowey found himself nodding as his worries were assuaged. It made him feel better to know that Sans was willing to tell him everything that was going to happen during and after his soul was transferred. It proved he could trust him, although he'd already known that, hadn't he.
"I'm ready." He said at last, taking a large calming breath as both skeletons nodded, serious expressions on each of their faces.
"Alright, Flowey, I want you to close your eyes and try to remain calm. Keep your breaths even and your muscles relaxed." Gaster stated, nodding contently as the plant did as he was told. "That's good. Sans is now going to summon your soul. Remember, this is not an actual fight, you will not be harmed in any way."
"Okay, here we go kiddo," Sans added, eye glowing blue as he called forth his magic. "This will only take a few seconds, whatever you do... don't fight it."
As the comedian said this, Flowey felt his friends magic latch onto his soul. He could feel as it was drawn further and further from his body until being met with a bit of resistance. It didn't hurt, per say, but it still felt incredibly uncomfortable and Flower just wanted it to be over. He squirmed, realizing with a start that his body wasn't moving with his soul. Before he could even comprehend the meaning of that however, the world disappeared and he was engulfed by darkness.
"It's done." He could hear someone speak. He thought it was Sans, though the voice sounded utterly exhausted. "Now we just need to wait for the kid to wake up."
A second voice spoke up and he realized it must be Gaster. "If my calculations are correct that should take a few hours. His soul needs time to adjust. We mustn't rush it."
That was the last thing he heard before everything became silent. He wasn't scared though. No, on the contrary, he felt safe and warm and secure. This place reminded the small boy of being wrapped in his mother's arms while his Father stood nearby watching over them. With that memory swirling in his head, the child let himself be drawn further into the peaceful abyss.
-XXX-XXX-XXX-
The next time Flowey opened his eyes he was lying on a soft bed and could instantly tell something was different. His body felt weird, tingly, it was hard to think. He took a few moments to glance around and that's when he noticed the yellow flower sitting on a nearby table besides what appeared to be a small mirror. His breath quickened and he slowly reach a paw out toward to still plant...
'Wait... paws?' He thought to himself as he struggled to sit up. Glancing down he was amazed to see white fur covering his body.
"Hey there, kiddo, glad to see you're up." A voice spoke and he turned shimmering eyes toward the one who had spoken.
Sans seemed a lot smaller than he had before, though still bigger than him, and Flowey, no... Asriel, decided that it must be because he was no longer a little flower.
"You gave us a bit of a scare there. Gaster figured you should have been up hours ago." Sans admitted, obvious relief showing on his face. "Guess ya needed a little more time for your soul to get used to having an actual body again. Still, I'm glad you're back with us."
"Sans..." Asriel spoke, startling when his voice sounded like it had before he'd become Flowey... before he'd died. "Sans, thank you!"
The young boy threw himself forward on unsteady legs and probably would have collapsed to the floor if not for the skeleton's quick reflexes. As it was he landed safely in the other's embrace, swiftly snuggling his muzzle into the crook of his friend's scapula as unbelievable happiness filled his soul. He let out a joyful sob as Sans pulled him tighter into the embrace, soothing words echoing in his ears as his savior rubbed circles on his back. They stood like that for several minutes, neither wanting to release the other, but finally Sans stepped back. A quiet chuckle escaping his mouth as he held the goat child at arms length, hands resting comfortably on the child's shoulders.
"Heh, there was a bit of a side effect from the transfer. We genuinely didn't expect this." The comedian said, trying to contain his laughter, though he grew serious upon seeing the worried look on the younger male's face. "Don't worry, buddy, it's nothing bad. Though I think you'd better take a look in the mirror."
Taking a deep breath Asriel pulled away, still slightly unsteady as he turned to grab the hand-held mirror he'd noticed earlier. He hesitated. Just standing there for a short while until his curiosity got the better of him and he took a quick peek at his reflection. It was his face, just as he remembered it from all that time ago, but there was a small addition to it. Around the crown of his head lay a wreath of small, golden flowers. Reaching up a claw he gently tugged on one, wincing as he found it attached. Turning questioning eyes toward his friend, the prince spoke quietly.
"Why are there flowers growing out of my head?" He asked, cocking his face to the side as he awaited an answer.
The way he said that sent Sans into hysterics, it was just too funny! His young friend had sounded so nonchalant as if such a thing were an everyday occurrence. Sans had expected fear, maybe a little panic or anger. He should have known that Asriel would do something completely unexpected. The prince wasn't a normal child after all. Both he and Frisk had experienced too much in their young lives, Sans was just grateful that his daughter wasn't forced to suffer the memories as Asriel was. All the while these thoughts were passing through the jokester's head the younger monster just stood there patiently waiting for him to calm down enough to speak.
"That goat me good, kid." Sans joked, causing an adorable smile to spread on the child's face, revealing a pair of tiny, white fangs. "Anyway, Dad and I figured it's probably a result of all the time you'd spent as a flower. Your soul was familiar with that form so it was kind of a shock to your system to have you revert back without any warning. So, as a defensive measure, it kind of combined the two. I'm sorry to say this, but we have no idea if it's permanent or not. It could be that as you grow, your soul will reorient itself and the flowers will fade... but they also might not. There's no way of telling at the moment."
Silence filled the room for several minutes as the small boy stared at his reflection. Then, he glanced up, eyes sparkling brightly in the artificial light of the lab.
"That's okay, I don't mind." He said, continuing upon noticing the slipper-clad monster's perplexed look. "I spent so long as Flowey... it's nice to have a reminder so that I never make such mistakes again."
"Geez, you sounded older than me for a moment there." The skeleton said, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly.
"Actually," Asriel smirked, mischievously before letting out a tired yawn. "I am older than you."
Sans returned a smirk of his own, refusing to be outdone by the boy he'd come to think of as a little brother.
"Nope, not happening. Those years of you being a flower don't count, kiddo." He laughed as he gathered the smaller monster into his arms, moving over to tuck the boy into bed. "Now, I think someone needs more rest. It's the middle of the night and your body is still adjusting, remember?"
Sans bent down, placing a tender kiss on the furry monster's forehead before standing to turn off the light. While it was true that Asriel's soul was older than him, his body had the look of a twelve-year-old and all children needed sleep, especially ones that had just gone through a major procedure to have their soul bound to a new body. Just as his hand reached the switch, however, he heard a quiet voice call his name and turned back to see a pair of worried, green eyes gazing up at him.
"Hey, what's wrong Asriel?" The thirty-four-year-old asked, worriedly.
"I was, um, I was wondering... when can I see mom and dad?" The small goat questioned, his ears drooping sadly as he held the covers close to his face.
The skeledad smiled, taking a seat beside his friend and drawing him close to his side.
"How about we go see them first thing in the morning?" He asked, a fond expression on his face. "It's going to be quite the shock for them, we'll have to explain everything that's happened since the loops ended, but don't worry, I'll be right there beside you. You won't be alone."
He smiled softly as the boy nodded, hope filling the child's eyes as he snuggled into his pillow. Sans had decided that since it was already so late they may as well spend the rest of the night at the lad so he could monitor the boy and be ready if anything went wrong, though it seemed everything was as it should be other than that unexpected side effect and that offered no danger. Now he just needed to let the kid rest, after all, he was going to have a long day tomorrow.
-XXX-XXX-XXX-
The reunion went about as well as expected, meaning there were many tears shed... mostly by the Dreemurr family and Alphys. Sans had taken the liberty to call a meeting of their extended family and that's why they now found themselves sitting on a large blanket outside Toriel's house having just finished listening to Asriel tell the story of his time as Flowey. As the minutes passed by there were many warm hugs and kisses exchanged and soon everyone had settled down once more, though the short skeleton doubted his friend's minds would stray far from what they'd just learned. The news that the former prince had been Flowey had come as a shock to everyone but especially to the Royal couple, though they were reassured once they knew his actions hadn't been entirely his own. They were just happy to have their son back after all these years and were resolved to show him the love and affection he'd missed during the time they'd been separated.
They had taken it rather well and in truth, it was Frisk who took it the hardest, though that wasn't surprising. Sans had been forced to explain the timelines to her, though he'd only revealed the parts where Flowey was the one in control, never making mention of Chara or her own role during his explanation. Afterwards, she had run off into the ruins before he'd been able to calm her down. The little ten-year-old just couldn't seem to understand how her best friend could have done such wrong. Sans had been about to follow her but was stopped when a small paw caught his sleeve. Twisting around he was met with the sight of the prince, his face full of resolve as he stared in the direction Frisk had disappeared.
"No, let me find her. I'll bring her back after we talk." The mature look in Asriel's eyes reminded Sans that, though he was still a child, he'd been through more than most adults and so all he did was nod and watch as the younger male raced off.
It took the boy nearly half an hour to locate Frisk, finally finding her curled up on the bed of golden flowers at the start of the Ruins. Even from the entrance of the chamber, he could hear her strangled sobs and it hurt to know that he'd been the one to cause her such pain.
"Frisk?" He called softly, kneeling before the younger child and wrapping his warm arms around her. "Hey, it's going to be alright."
"No, it's not!" She screamed, pushing away from the goat monster's embrace. "How could you have done all those things? You hurt my dad! You hurt uncle Papyrus! You hurt everyone!"
She paused for a moment, turning to face him with betrayal written on her young face. He couldn't help but wince when confronted with the teary eyes of his normally cheerful friend.
"You even hurt me." The skelechild sniffled in defeat, liquid streaming down from her sockets. "I thought we were friends. I thought you cared!"
"I do care!" Asriel cried, unable to stay silent any longer. "You don't know what it's like... not having a soul... it's as if you lose yourself and all that remains is anger, hate, and fear. You'd do anything to be able to feel again but nothing ever works! At least... not until I met you."
She watched him warily as he pulled his knees up to his chest, looking for all the world as if he were reliving his worst memories... and he probably was.
"You showed me that I could still have friends. That I could be good. That I didn't need to let my soulless nature define me." The boy spoke softly, unable to meet the other child's gaze. "Frisk, you gave me hope when I had nothing left to live for."
The little girl gasped out a sob. Unable to control herself any longer, she raced forward, wrapping her small arms around her best friend in hopes of comforting him. It sounded awful to not have a soul. To not be yourself anymore. Yes, she was still upset, but she refused to let it stop her from comforting her friend when he needed her. By some miracle, she had managed to restore what was lost. She'd helped her friend and in doing so she had saved him. There was no way she'd give up on him now! Not after that. Not just because she'd learned something she didn't like.
"I'm sorry!" Frisk choked out through her tears, hiding her face in the green, striped sweater the slightly larger monster was wearing. "I'm so sorry! I shouldn't have reacted like that! I should have known that it wasn't your fault."
Asriel sighed, pushing the girl away till she was at arms length.
"No. I won't deny what happened. Flowey hated everything and wanted to cause people harm just because he could. I may not have been in full control but it was still me who did all those things." The prince responded, sorrow visible on his face. "I don't know how but you managed to show him, show me, a different path and for that, I am eternally thankful. That doesn't excuse what I did though and I will spend my life attempting to make up for all the harm I caused... even if most of the people I hurt can't remember it."
"Good!" Frisk exclaimed, looking her friend dead in the eyes.
"What?" He muttered, shock causing his mouth to drop open as he stared at her in confusion... that had not been what he'd expected her to say.
"I said good!" The brown-haired girl said once more. "Don't forget what you did but also don't let it stop you from living your life. You made mistakes, everyone does that, but you realized what you were doing and are trying to fix it. That means that you're a good person. You'll remember what happened and can teach others about it so that they can learn as well. You can help people that might have made the same mistakes."
Asriel stared at his friend with a dumbfounded expression. When had she gotten so wise? It was almost as if she were talking with experience from beyond her ten years of age, but that was impossible. Frisk had no memories of her time as a human... or did she? The prince made a mental note to bring this up to Sans at a later date but for now, now he just pulled the other child back into his arms and held her close. They both needed the contact after such an emotionally charged conversation.
"Thank you." Is all he said as they sat there in the patch of golden flowers, no other words were needed.
By the time they made it back to Toriel's home in the ruins it was near bedtime and the only ones left at the house were the king, queen, and Sans. They had been in the middle of debating whether or not they should go look for the two youngsters when the pair had walked through the door hand in hand. Asriel had immediately been engulfed in the loving embrace of his parents while Sans moved to place a calm hand on his daughter's shoulder, nodding at the young prince once he caught his gaze. The boy had done as he'd said he would, the skeledad never doubted that he would. Taking hold of Frisk's small hand in his own, they summoned their magic and teleported, leaving the Dreemurr family alone to take solace in each other's company.
AN: Well, that's it for act 3. I really hope you enjoyed this finale and are looking forward to when I begin the next (and final) act. Thanks, as always, for reading and don't forget to leave a review ;)