Day's eyes opened slowly, as if she was awaking from a deep sleep. Her body was heavy, tired. She could only see the ground, dark and flat, beneath her.
Her arms moved listlessly to her sides in an attempt to get herself into a sitting position, but they faltered under her weight almost instantly. She was too weak.
Day just breathed, slowly, her mind an ebbing pool. Where was she? What had happened? Why…?
Somewhere, a voice spoke.
"Finally. I was so tired of being a flower."
It was a child. A boy. Day had heard it before, but she couldn't remember where.
There was another sound— movement. Approaching her. Day again struggled to sit up, and though her arms persisted, they wobbled violently. Her head hung, and she fought to lift it, to see who was speaking.
The voice came again, but beneath it, another resonated— something deeper. Something colder.
"Howdy, Chara. Are you there?" The child's voice held friendliness, the other patronization.
Chara. Day knew the name. It reminded her of another.
"It's me, your best friend…" As they spoke, the voice of the child faded into silence, allowing the other to take its place in full. It was in front of her. Close.
Day peered upwards, and began in an inaudible whisper, "Asr…?"
The speaker was no child.
Before her was a monster, the same sort as Asgore and Toriel— goat-like, with horns, far taller than she. He wore a robe with the emblem she'd seen many times before, and a collar that rose into spiked shapes around his head. His eyes were dark. A smile curled on his face, sinisterly.
Asriel Dreemurr.
"So, you're awake." His voiced carried an almost taunting undertone, full of pride and power, "Good. I wanted you to see this, Chara. To see me in my true form. To see what I can really do."
He was speaking to her, but calling her by a different name. Day was too petrified to correct him.
Asriel's smile tweaked upwards at her silence, the fear apparent. He glanced down at his hands, flexing them as if testing their strength, and let out a breath.
"Chara, you have no idea how this feels… having hands again, after so long…" They clenched into fists, the joints emitting audible pops, "So much more comfortable than stupid leaves and vines."
His words stirred up memories— snaking vines, screaming, her friends—
"Where are they?" Her tone was sharp, but not without an obvious tremor, "What did you do with them?"
Asriel's eyes returned to her, flashing with a glimmer of amusement.
"I already told you," he replied, "I took them. The human souls. The monster souls— every soul in the underground. They're mine." He laughed, "They're mine now. Mine to control, to use to fuel my powers— don't you understand?"
He lifted his hands, which began to blaze with a fire— it was multicolored and untamed, casting a shadow across his face that darkened his eyes into pits.
"I am the most powerful being there ever was— I can do anything I want to do!" He beamed, maniacally, "And I will reset this timeline, whether you like it or not!"
Asriel thrust his hands forward— the fire was unleashed in torrents, rocketing towards her. Day was barely given time to react, shooting clumsily to her feet, only to throw herself out of the way of the attack. It roared overhead, deafening, but left her unscathed.
No sooner than it had ended, another wave sealed the distance between them. Day knew she wouldn't be able to dodge it; she covered her head, turning her back to the source. She felt the sting of fire as it bit at her back, through the sweater. Luckily, the heat died down within a few seconds.
The pain managed to brute force its way through her exhaustion, and Day was able to stand again, in a frantic state of alertness. She spun around to face Asriel, to prepare for his next attack.
The fire had disappeared from his hands, but she doubted it signified his surrender. Instead, he raised them above his head, summoning something far worse.
A series of massive stars appeared in the air above him, undulating with a glaring and disorienting rainbow light. With a wave, he sent them raining down on top of her. Right before they reached the ground, the stars burst apart— they multiplied into hundreds of tiny, blinding projectiles.
Day froze against her will, overwhelmed with fear, but broke out of the paralysis and tried to dodge— to no avail. No matter where she ducked or sidestepped, she was hit. The stars were sharp, jagged, scorching when they touched her bare skin. She was acutely aware of each nick, each rip in her clothing and body. The stars kept coming, more and more, biting and tearing into her.
After an eternity, the attack died down. But it only made things worse— Day cried out, clutching her arms in an attempt to pacify their sting. She saw several splotches of red, all over her.
What do I do, her mind caught her in a stranglehold, I can't fight him— I can't protect myself— I can't run— there's nowhere to hide— there's noting to do— why am I still here? What can I do? I can't— I can't win this— I can't do anything—
Asriel had begun to prepare another attack; a ball of swirling light took form in his hands, with a low and steady drone. The sound grew along with the size of the ball, and Day realized it was charging. She rooted herself to the spot, eyes glued to it.
I might be able to dodge this one, she rationalized, If I wait until the last second—
But what will it matter? He'll just fire again, if he misses—
But I have to try—
It won't matter—
The relentless thoughts were interrupted when, with a thunderous sound, Asriel released the light in a single, solid blast. Day was able to dive out of the way, managing somehow to remain up on her feet.
But then, the blast halted suddenly— Asriel, still channeling the light, fired at her a second time.
Shock rendered her still for a crucial fraction of a second; Day was able to dodge, but only partially. The light grazed her arm, catching the elbow. She shrieked, the pain of it causing her chest to constrict painfully. Before she could stop herself, she looked at it.
Bright and infuriatingly red. Burned. Badly. Blood.
It made her gasp, and the sensation brought a flood of tears up to her eyes.
I can't do this— I can't do this—
Day shook, gasping more violently, the insurmountable terror unable to be stifled, overflowing in the form of tears.
I don't want to do this anymore— I want it to stop— I want to be done— I want it to stop— I want to be done— I want —I want—
— why won't he just end this?! Why won't he get it over with?! He's stronger than me, so why doesn't he make it stop?!
As if sensing her thoughts, Asriel just chuckled, lowering his hands a moment.
"So you really don't understand," he mused, then shook his head— he acted as if he was disappointed, "I don't want this to end. I don't care about destroying humanity, or monsters, or anything else. See, once I defeat you, there won't be anyone to keep me from resetting, again. I can take everything— everyone's memories, their lives— back to zero." He grinned, "And then we'll be able to do this all over again, Chara."
Day was shaking, from horror and pain and bewilderment. What was he talking about? Resetting? Resetting what? Time? But there was no way— people couldn't just—
Her thoughts were interrupted as her eyes caught sight of another set of materializing stars. Fighting down the choking feeling she felt in the pit of her chest, Day yanked her sleeves down over her arms, as if it would make a difference, and prepared to shield herself.
"And do you know what the best part of all of this is?" The sneer, the sheer relish was blatant in his words, "You'll do it."
The stars rained down, breaking apart into thousands, and Day threw herself down into the fetal position, covering her head and face. New scratches, new burns, new pains. She didn't rise, even after the torrent had long ceased.
"You'll do it, you'll make it this far, and you'll lose to me all over again." Asriel began to gather another ball of light, "You'll lose again, and again, and again, and again and again and again!"
Day heard the hum of energy. She struggled to stand, dove to avoid the attack, avoided the next, and the next. But fear wasn't enough to keep her alert, anymore. Her body was drained, battered. It wouldn't respond to her pleading. It stumbled and stalled, failing her.
"All this because you want a "happy ending"," Asriel taunted, taking a moment to consider which attack he wanted to use next— there were oh so many to choose from, after all, "Because you "love your friends." Because you "never give up"." He studied her a moment, and seeing her current state, he practically giggled giddily, "Isn't that delicious? Your so-called "determination," the power that let you even get this far… it amounted to nothing, in the end. All it did was lead you here, to your demise."
Day barely managed to remain upright, not even able to lift her head to watch her opponent.
He's… toying with me, she realized, He knows he can kill me, but instead, he's… making me suffer even longer..
It was only her stance that kept Day on her feet, now. She stared at the ground, slowly becoming numb to the pain that assaulted her senses.
Just make it stop, she pleaded, Just stop it… I want it to stop… I don't want… to do this anymore…
Seeing her lack of urgency, Asriel seemed to grow bored of playing with his victim— he rolled back his shoulders, loosening them for what was about to come.
"Now, enough messing around," he declared, brimming with anticipation, "It's time to purge this timeline once and for all!"
Asriel shoved his hands sharply in front of him— a shape began to take form. Something massive, indiscernible at first, but as it grew, it took on the appearance of a skull. An animal skull— with horns and fangs.
Day didn't notice she'd been retreating until something solid forced her to halt. She pried her eyes away from the still growing object to see what had stopped her.
A trident. Buried deep into the earth.
Asgore's trident.
An image of the king being dragged away from her flashed in her mind. It was followed by that of Toriel, calling her name—
Something stirred within Day.
The skull suddenly unleashed a hideous sound— a hollow roar, recapturing her attention. It opened its enormous maw, revealing an empty blackness within. Then, Day felt herself being pulled towards it.
Her hands flew back, towards the trident's handle, and she just managed to latch on before the pull became intense. It was like a wind had picked up, forcing her in the direction of those unforgiving jaws. Day knew her hands would give, and for a moment, she almost considering letting them slacken—
She remembered Sans, not even attempting to match her grip on his hand. Leaving it limp. Letting himself be taken.
Day felt a flare from within her chest, and her grip on the trident tightened. Fighting the pull of the creature, she hoisted a leg around the handle, then another. It took the pressure off her arms at least a little, and she held fast. The trident didn't even shift in place, as if it was rooted to the ground by will alone.
Slowly, the pull died down, and Day dropped back to the floor— she turned in time to see the skull dematerializing, fading into nothingness. Behind it, Asriel stood in place, looking only mildly amused.
"Even after all of that, you're still standing in my way, huh?" He shook his head, sporting a smile, "Wow… you really are something special, Chara. But we both knew that." The smile morphed, turning sharp, "But don't get too cocky. Up to now, I've just been having fun— using a tiny fraction of my real power!"
Day's heart fell even deeper than she thought possible. For a moment, she'd thought that maybe, there was…
… a chance…
Asriel held his hands in front of his chest, and a white light began to radiate from within him. His eyes were wild, manic.
"Let's see what good your determination is… against this!" he roared, and in a massive burst, the light exploded, flooding the previously dark area.
Day shielded her eyes, only slightly too late, feeling suffocated by the sudden illumination.
It faded, and the room was bombarded with something equally overwhelming— a laugh. A deep, horrible, rollicking and inhuman laugh. Day dared to looked.
It was…
… awful.
The horns had grown. There were fangs. A pulsing and twitching heart of white light adorned his chest. Claws. A wingspan double his size, swimming with inky colors and eerie light. He'd grown even larger. He hovered above the ground, a sort of ethereal demon…
He truly was a monster, now.
Asriel laughed again, deafening. Day had never felt so small, so insignificant and powerless.
"Behold!" he bellowed, "My true power!"
Fire spouted from his hands, arcing like comets down upon her. Day barely possessed enough sense to place the trident between herself and on onslaught, but it made no difference. The attacks were worse than before— stronger, more numerous, immensely more painful.
Asriel offered her no rest— he just kept summoning them, sending them down in wave after wave, not pausing while he taunted.
"I can feel it," he growled through a grin of pointed teeth, "With every attack, every time you fall, your grip on this world slips away. Every time you fall, your "friends" forget about you a little more. You will die here— your life will end, alone in a world where no one remembers you. As if you never even existed in the first place."
The handle of the trident was all that supported her now. Day was slouched against it, hit again and again. She couldn't even muster a whimper, anymore. She was hit, and it forced out a breath. Again, and again, and again. She didn't hold onto the handle. She started to sink, the lights becoming increasingly blurry.
Just make it stop…
"Still, you're hanging on?" Asriel showed no frustration— it egged him on further, and the attacks increased tenfold, "Why bother? In a few moments, you'll forget everything and everyone. That attitude will serve you well in your next life."
A strike sent her stumbling—she tripped over the trident, falling to her knees. Inertly, her hands stopped the fall, and Day remained all but immobile.
"Still? Come on! Show me what good your determination is now!" Asriel increased his attacks yet again, "Show me, Chara! Show me! Prove me wrong! Show me that you can win! Show me! Do it! Show me now!"
Day didn't feel herself finally fall, face down onto the ground. She was just there.
Stay down. Then it will stop. It will be over. It will finally stop…
Just let it stop, please…
Please, I give up. I don't want to fight anymore. I can't do it.
I can't beat him... It's impossible. I just have to let him win…
…
…
…
…
…
…
… If I don't get up, everyone will stay trapped. Forever.
…
They'll be stuck here. They'll forget everything.
…
I'll forget everything.
…
…
…
… No.
I will not let that happen.
I will not.
…
I refuse to let that happen.
Where it came from, she didn't know. What it was, she didn't know. But something resonated from deep within her soul. Something burned stronger than ever before, filling her veins and spreading out across her entire body. It didn't take away the pain or the fatigue, but it made it possible to power through them.
Day put out her arms. She pushed herself up. She stood. She turned up her head to meet Asriel's eyes. And she spoke.
"No." Her voice was unwavering. "I will not let you."
Asriel actually seemed amazed, "Oh really?"
His taunting had no effect, and Day did not falter.
"I will get them back," she told him, "I will not let you keep them. I will save them."
"And how will you do that?" Without waiting for her answer, Asriel sent a wave of fire cascading down upon her.
Day threw up her arms and endured the strikes, stumbling a bit, but not discouraged.
"I don't know," she admitted, though without a trace of doubt, growing steadily louder, "But I will do it. I will find a way. And I will not give up until I do!"
Asriel laughed, the loudest yet. He appeared even more massive than before, more daunting and deadly.
Day clenched her fists, not feeling quite so small anymore. She set down a foot, standing her ground fiercely, and she shouted with all the determination she could muster:
"I am not afraid of you!"
His laughter ceased, and he peered down at her, humoring the outburst.
"It doesn't matter," he assured her, "There's no reason to keep fighting, anyway. There's no one there to save, anymore. Everyone— they've long forgotten you."
Day glared at him, "I don't believe you."
It made him sneer, "So what if you aren't afraid of me, Chara? It won't help—" He suddenly began to fade, seemingly swallowed up by the surrounding darkness, "Even if I don't scare you… I know what will…"
His absence caught Day off guard, and she searched the area for a sign of him.
What's he doing? she wondered, Is he trying to sneak up on me?
Though she continued to keep up her guard, Asriel did not reappear. At first, nothing did.
Then, from a ways behind her, Day heard shuffling footsteps. She spun around, prepared to defend herself.
Out of the darkness, slowly, shapes began to take form. Two distinct, tall shapes, moving at a steady and monotonous pace. They came into view—
Day felt herself retreat, a single step.
Toriel? Asgore?
The two were unmistakable, though to her confusion, their faces were hidden from sight. A strange white fog, one which behaved more like a flickering flame, engulfed their heads in full. It didn't seem to cause them any pain. Rather, they continued their approach without hesitation, coming ever closer to Day.
Just as she considered meeting them halfway, Day was halted by what she saw next.
Toriel raised her hands to her sides, palms filling with a tall white fire. Asgore had walked over to his trident, and in a single, sharp motion, freed it from the earth. Then, as a unit, the two closed in on Day.
Fear gripped her heart, and Day remained frozen in place.
"Wait—" she stammered, "Wait, what are you—"
With a sudden surge of motion, Toriel send a wave of fireballs speeding towards Day, showing no restraint.
She was too astonished to react in time— Day was hit and offered only a yelp, physical pain being the last thing on her mind.
"Miss Toriel!" Day cried, "What are you—?!"
Toriel attacked again, summoning another wave of fire. There were gaps between them, just large enough for Day to avoid being hit. Before she could mistake it for an act of mercy, both Toriel and Asgore attacked— it created an impenetrable wall of flames that struck head-on.
Day had turned her back to it, which now burned relentlessly— she could feel patches of the sweater and shirt missing, leaving her skin exposed.
Petrified, she stared at the two, "Wait! Stop it! Please— why are you doing this?!"
She was ignored, and Toriel began to form another attack.
They can't hear me, she realized, It's like they don't even—
… remember me.
Asriel had been right. They'd forgotten her.
For a moment, Day's heart clenched, and her determination wavered.
"Miss Toriel…" she tried to call out, but she had a feeling it wouldn't work.
Toriel threw out her arms, calling forth a stream of fire that shot out in both directs, closing into a large ring around Day—
— and Asgore.
He held the trident before him with both hands, still for a moment.
Day could retreat no further, her back practically pressed against the wall of fire behind her. She couldn't help but feel a stab of fear, facing Asgore once again. There was no hesitation or gentleness, this time. She knew he was ready and willing to kill.
Asgore started to approach.
"N—no—" Day trembled, "No, please— you don't have to do this—"
There was no break in his demeanor; he was getting closer.
She felt herself starting to lose hope again, and Day tried to snatch it back up.
This can't be it— they can't just have forgotten everything…
They have to remember. Even if it's just a little, they have to remember something! Anything!
It was difficult, nearly impossible, but Day managed to gather her thoughts.
They're still in there, somewhere. They're still there. I can't be scared— I have to help them remember.
"King Asgore," she spoke, though her voice still held the obvious notes of trepidation, "You don't have to do this. You don't have to fight."
It had no effect. He was within striking distance, and began to raise his trident to strike her.
Day fought her instincts and remained in place.
"I will not fight you," she told him firmly, "I am not going to hurt you. And you don't have to hurt me, either."
A hint of hesitation— a flinch. The fog around his head flickered a moment.
"… this is… my duty." It was low and without feeling, sounding almost dazed.
Day didn't allow him time to reconsider.
"I know," she replied, "I know why you did those horrible things. But you don't have to keep making the same mistake. You don't have to be the bad guy." Ignoring the fact that he was still poised to attack, Day took a step forward.
"You're still a good person— you can still do the right thing. You still have time."
Asgore did not move. For a moment, Day assumed the worst— that her words had fallen on deaf ears. Seconds passed, and still, nothing happened.
Day had barely noticed the ring of fire surrounding them vanish, just as she barely noticed Toriel's approach. It was only when a massive fireball came barreling towards her that she tore her eyes away from Asgore, gasped—
The trident was buried into the ground a matter of inches in front of her. Day thought that Asgore had missed his target.
Until the fire was deflected by the weapon, shielding Day from the attack.
He'd protected her.
He'd remembered.
But Day didn't linger on it— she ran out from behind the trident, to stand before a now seemingly confused Toriel.
"Miss Toriel, we don't have to fight," she spoke quickly, "I'm sorry— I'm sorry I left you behind. I'm sorry for all the children you've lost— the other human children, and Asriel. It's not fair."
Toriel seemed to flinch, but instead of rendering her still, it made the fire in her hands flare up into an uncontrollable blaze.
"I'm sorry I hurt you!" Day shouted, feeling the weight of her words in full, becoming teary, "But I won't make the same mistake! When this is all over, I promise, I will never leave you behind ever again!"
The fire crackled for a moment before it was snuffed out completely. Toriel stood aimlessly, silent.
The white fog flickered, for just a moment.
"…m… my… chi…"
Just as she had appeared, Toriel vanished, fading back into the darkness. Behind her, Day realized that Asgore had done the same.
She was alone again.
… Then, she caught the sound of a low hum, from somewhere in the shadows.
"NGAAAAAAAAAH!"
Day whipped around to face the shout, and came just shy of being skewered by Undyne's spear.
"Get back here you little brat!" she snarled, wasting no time in taking another swipe at Day.
She jumped back, eyes wide with panic.
"Undyne—!" The fog was present over Undyne's face as well, and Day tried the same method as before, "Undyne, wait! We don't have to fight— we're friends, remember?"
"Why the hell would I be friends with a pathetic human?!" Undyne hurled the spear at Day, summoned another, and then another, "You're our real enemy! All humans must die!"
Day ducked and weaved, just avoiding the projectiles, "That's not true!"
"You'd be more valuable to all of us if you were dead!" She unleashed a growl of frustration, having not hit Day a single time, and the spear in her hand crackled with blue magic. "Now fight me!"
"No!" Day protested, "I'm not going to hurt you! You're my friend!"
"Shut up!" Undyne charged her, thrusting the spear forward.
Day sidestepped, replacing the distance between them.
"You have to remember— we cooked together! I mean, we tried to cook, but then we accidentally burnt your house down—" She realized how bad it sounded, "But you told me it was okay, because we had fun anyway!"
Undyne ignored her, wildly slashing the spear through the air, "Stop lying!"
"I'm not lying to you!" Day insisted, flinching when an attack came too close, "You made me tea, and you told me about how when you were a kid, Asgore trained you to fight—"
The spear arced within a hair's breadth of her face, and Day knew she needed to end this, fast.
"Undyne, I am not going to fight you!" she insisted resolutely, "I will not hurt you! And you don't have to hurt me! You want to do what's right, and so do I! But I can't do it on my own— I need your help!"
A spear landed a few feet from her left side. Undyne seemed to have faltered in her throw. For just a moment, she ceased in her onslaught.
"What?" It was clipped, as suspicious as it was baffled.
"I need your help to save everyone," Day repeated, "I need you to let me go— to stop fighting. I'm not strong enough to beat you, and I'm not going to try— I won't hurt you. No one has to be killed— we can both win and do what's right for everyone. We can find a way to set them free. You just have to trust me— please, stop fighting me, Undyne."
Like the others, the white fog flickered, losing its hold over her. Undyne seemed to struggle, reaching up to clutch her head.
"You—" she snarled, "You— you're just a— hu—"
"I am a human," Day interrupted, "But that doesn't mean I'm bad. Right?"
Another flicker of the fog. Undyne stood upright.
"Punk— you're—"
Before anything else could be said, Undyne disappeared.
Day wouldn't be caught off guard again; she spun around in circles, searching for who was next.
Off in one of the furthest corners of the darkness, Alphys was practically curled in on herself, face hidden.
Day ran forward, "Alphys! You have to remember—"
Before she made it to her, Day stopped, listening.
Alphys was muttering incomprehensibly to herself, claws ticking nervously against each other.
"Alphys," Day tried again, confused, "Are you—"
The muttering went on regardless, as if she was completely oblivious to Day's presence.
She closed the distance between them, half expecting some sort of attack— but nothing came. Alphys went on mumbling, faintly, in a breathy voice. Day had to sneak even closer in order to make out the words.
"… hate me. They all h-hate me…" The words trembled, jittered by what sounded like tears, "And it's my fault… they hate me because I'm horrible… a-and I can't do anything right…"
Day's heart clenched, "… No, Alphys— that's not true—"
"I h-have to keep lying… That's the only way… anyone w-will be able to stand me…"
"Alphys, no. You know that's not—"
She was either ignored or Alphys couldn't hear her, "Everyone would be much b-better off it I never… if I just… w-wasn't here…"
In an instant, Day grabbed Alphys by both hands, forcing her to face her.
"Alphys!" She called, a little louder than she'd intended, "None of that is true! You know that!"
Alphys shifted, trying to free her hands from Day's hold. So, Day latched onto one of her arms, refusing to be shaken off.
"I— I deserve— this—"
"Alphys, stop—"
The sleeve of her labcoat shifted under Day's grasp, making it slide up and reveal the yellow scales underneath…
… as well as several long, thin patches where scales had stopped growing entirely, uprooted by what looked like… scratches of some sort.
… scars.
Day had accidentally let go, startled by the discovery, and Alphys retreated hastily, turning her back on Day.
"Leave… me alone…"
For a moment, Day was silent. After the initial stalling of her mind, she began to construct what she would say— she just hoped it would be enough.
"… Alphys." It received no reply, so Day walked around to face her, taking her by the hands once again, "Look at me."
Alphys resisted, so Day reached into the fog, placing her hands on either side of her friend's face. Indeed, she felt lines of tears there.
"Alphys, you have to listen to me," Day stressed, trying to sound both gentle and firm, "Don't say those things about yourself— they're not true. We don't hate you— I don't hate you. You're my friend! You're smart and funny, and you took care of me when I was sick, and you protected me in the lab, and you helped me get through Hotland, and— we watched cartoons together, and we ate junk food, and you showed me how to build a circuit board— you've been so nice to me—"
"I've got to keep… lying…"
"No you don't!" Day refused, "You don't have to be scared to tell the truth— no one is going to hate you just because you've made a few mistakes— it doesn't make you a bad person!" She returned her hands to Alphys', squeezing them tightly, "Alphys, your friends love you! And no matter what happens, they'll always be there for you— you're not your mistakes! It's— it'll be okay in the end, I promise." Day tried to offer a reencouraging smile, as shaky as it was, "L… love yourself— I love you! Okay?"
…
… Day felt her hands being squeezed, weakly.
"… okay…"
Darkness overtook her. She was gone.
All Day could do was breathe, trying to regather herself for whoever was next. All she had to do was talk, to get them to remember. She could do this. It would be okay.
"Human."
The voice. She almost didn't recognize it— there was no enthusiasm or life behind it. It was hollow and listless. But she knew who it belonged to.
Day couldn't turn around, feeling her chest clench up in pain.
"N-no," she blurted, "No… I can't…" Tears already stung at her eyes, knowing she had no choice, "Please, not…"
Keeping her back to him proved a mistake— she was pelted with a barrage of bones, both blue and orange. While the blue phased right through her in her frozen state, the orange ones struck her head on— hard.
One rammed into the back of her skull, actually making her vision swirl for a second. Day teetered, throwing out her arms to regain her balance. She was forced to see him, face obscured, standing idly for the time.
She bit back a pained sound, "Papyrus, no…"
Papyrus just raised a hand, robotically, and a cloud of bones appeared above him.
"I must… capture a human."
With that, the bones shot forward.
They were much faster than his attacks in Snowdin— and there were more of them. Day tried to dodge, but her heart wasn't in it; she was hit a few times, resulting in deep bruises.
"Papyrus!" she called out, wanting to end this quickly, "Please stop— don't you remember me? We're friends!"
More bones- one of which made her trip, landing hard on her chest.
"I must capture… a human," he repeated, as if in a trance.
"N—" She wheezed, the air knocked out of her chest, "Papyrus it's— it's me! It's Day! You know me!"
Before she could rise, Day was pelted with bones again. She yelped, curling up to shield herself.
Papyrus would never— he would wait for me to get back up—!
"Please!" she cried, "Don't— we don't have to fight!"
Her pleas fell upon deaf ears, and with no sign of tiring, Papyrus summoned another cluster of bones.
"Must capture… a human…" he said again, "Then, everyone will…"
"You don't have to do this!" she insisted, "You— you don't need to!"
The bones rained down upon her. One struck her squarely in the ribs, and she shrieked.
"Papyrus, this isn't like you!"
He really doesn't remember me, she reasoned, No matter what I say.
… But what if…?
Day struggled to her feet, an arm wrapped protectively around her now aching ribs.
"Papyrus— this isn't you!" she exclaimed, "You only fight fair! You would never hit someone when they're down!"
The bones ceased their spin, suspended aimlessly in the air.
"You… you're better than that," she continued, "You're—y ou're the Great Papyrus! You're a master chef! And Mettaton's biggest fan!"
Day dug through every memory she could muster up, searching for more, "You make the best puzzles! You're a future royal guardsman! You're—" She couldn't help but pick up a smile, "— you're an expert at what to do on dates! And at cheering people up! And encouraging them! And you're famous online! And you're Sans' cool brother—and…"
She paused, then continued with utter sincerity, "… And you're my friend, even though I'm a human— because you can make friends with anyone. Because you're the greatest, Papyrus!"
Day caught the telltale flicker of the white fog, and Papyrus seemed to take a step back.
"… Human?"
He vanished.
She knew who was next.
"Hello?" she called out, half afraid to receive an answer.
No one answered, and no one appeared out of the darkness as usual.
Day examined the area, but still, nothing. No one.
"… Hello?" she offered, timidly, "Anyone?"
She moved forward a few steps, trying to ignore the slight sting that rose up her leg— it wasn't that bad. She had other things to worry about, right now.
After a few minutes, Day was sure she'd circled the space she found herself in, though it was hard to tell for sure.
What's going on?
Turning, she caught sight of something— something blue.
Sans had his back to her, hands stuffed into his pockets. She could just see the white fog over the top of his skull.
Day waited, to see what he would do.
… Nothing.
She began to approach, eyes glued to him cautiously.
"… Sans?" she managed to whisper, knowing it would give away her presence if she hadn't already.
He didn't stir.
Day crept closer, tried again, "Sans?"
No movement.
By now, she was only ten or so feet away. Before she could speak up again, something caught her attention.
Though it was clear the fog covered most if not all of his face, it looked as if it didn't quite reach up enough to cover the back— the bare skull was visible. And even from such a distance, Day could spot a dark line, creeping from the front of his head and beginning to snake down the back. A few more feet closer, and Day saw the finer details of the crack.
She took in a quick breath, now more worried than cautious.
"Sans, are you okay?" she asked, "What happened?"
Nothing.
Day quickened her pace, reaching out to grab hold of one of his sleeves.
"Sa—"
She was forcefully stopped in her tracks, as if she'd hit a brick wall. She could see the blue glow that now engulfed her. Day was too petrified to scream.
Then, she was in the air, off her feet. Looking down. Sans held up a hand, not even bothering to look at her.
"Shut up."
Day was forcefully slammed back to the ground— on her face.
There was a sickening crunch. It reverberated through the rest of her head.
An agonizing shriek was wrenched from her small frame, unable to contain the overload of pain she now felt. A steady stream of blood began to gush from her nose, soaking the ground and the lower half of her face.
It was unlike anything she'd felt before— the sensation crippled her. Day forgot where she was for a moment, blinded by the stabbing pain centered in the middle of her face.
It was shattered. She knew it. Her nose was completely broken.
"There. Maybe now you'll stop whining, for once."
Day's head shot up, staring in a combination of horror and astonishment.
Did… he just say…?
Before she was given time to feel the full sting of the comment, Day spotted movement to her right. She tore her gaze away from Sans to—
Day was struck with a barrage of bones that seemed to materialize out of nowhere; they were a mix of white and deep blue, and every single one of them hit head-on.
She cried out, but nothing could surmount the constant, unbearable pounding of her broken nose.
"S—" Her voice dissolved into a whimper, pain overcoming her resolve.
"I said—" With a violent sweep of his arm, Day was levitated in the air again, "— shut up."
The thought of being slammed into the ground a second time was all that prevented her from freezing in terror, and Day struggled against the blue glow that surrounded her. In response, she was dropped. Trying to land on her feet was a mistake, and she crumpled, the injured leg flaring up in a familiar and painful way.
She did not stay in one place—t hough she couldn't rise, Day scrambled to back away from Sans, eyes darting back and forth to scan for another attack.
"S—Sans!" she stammered, only half aware of what she was saying, "Stop! It's me—"
"I'm not an idiot." His voice was cold, angry, like when he'd snapped at her in MTT Resort, "I know who you are."
Day started to shake, not understanding.
But, if— he shouldn't be— if he remembers—
"You're the anomaly," he spoke lowly, "The one who's gonna reset everything. Just because you want to."
She shook her head, "I don't underst—"
Day was hoisted into the air again, fast enough to make her head snap back and send a jolt down her spine.
"You can't understand how this feels," he continued, "Remembering something that never even happened. Knowing that you could make it out after all this time, only to wake up back down here again. Being at the mercy of some thing that can screw around with people's lives and memories without anyone being able to stop them. Knowing that one day, all of this… will just be reset.
Day felt the grip of the blue magic around her tightening.
"That's your fault. Isn't it."
Her head was still reeling from whiplash, and Day fought to regain her senses.
"Sans—" she gasped, "I don't know what—"
She was dropped, and a handful of bones were swung up into her body right before she hit the ground. Day remained face down, hoping that if she kept still, maybe his attacks would let up.
Instead, she was lifted again, held upside down. Blood ran in the opposite direction as before, making her gag at the taste.
"It doesn't matter." He hadn't even moved from his initial spot, a glowing hand raised to keep her in the air, "I gave up trying to go back, myself. And getting to the surface doesn't appeal to me, anymore. I can't fix anything—" His voice shifted to something more bitter than before, "But at least things will stay one way, if you're not around to reset it all over again."
Right before she was dropped again, Day spotted the dark crack along Sans' skull— it was growing.
"St—stop it," she pleaded over her coughs, splattering the blood from her nose across the ground, "You'll— you're hurting— yourself—"
He released a single, harsh breath, "Like that ever mattered before."
By now, Day could only shudder where she lay, unable to move, unable to flee, and unable to think.
She was jerked upwards again, and Day braced herself.
"… Dunno why I'm bothering with this in the first place," Sans muttered, "It doesn't matter. Who's to say something else won't come along and do it all over again? No one else will remember it. No one will be able to stop it from happening. I can't do anything to stop it. I can't do anything." The hold around Day was beginning to falter, "I don't know why I even tried."
"Sans I don't know what you're talking about," Day desperately tried to cut in, catching the first opportunity that came, "I don't know about timelines or resetting or—"
"Stop lying to me."
She was hoisted even higher into the air, then dropped. Day screeched—
— and was stopped just before hitting the ground, only to be tossed up again, then caught in a similar manner.
"I thought that the anomaly was just doing this because it was unhappy," he growled, sounding betrayed, "I thought that if it was satisfied, it would just leave us all alone— that if I kept it from falling off a cliff, and kept it from freezing to death in the snow, and kept it from being killed by spiders— that maybe a little gratitude would make it change its mind. But I guess that makes me even more of an idiot than I thought."
Physical pain wasn't the only thing gradually working away at Day's determination, now.
The cliff… and Muffet… it was… that's why he had my sweater… he…
… I didn't know… I…
… oh no…
Her train of thought was broken as she made contact with the unforgiving ground, and her vision swam. For a moment it teetered, nearly fading to blackness, only to unwillingly resurface in reality.
From her position on the ground, Day was just able to see the area above Sans' head— something large was taking shape, growing with white magic, into a form she was familiar with.
"I have to do this," Sans spoke listlessly, almost to himself, "I let it all happen in the first place… and instead of doing something about it, I sat back… and did nothing… like a worthless, lazy, waste of space… and it all reset again, and again… and now… it'll be stuck like this… cause no one could… cause I couldn't… do anything."
Day was paying more attention to his words than whatever final attack he was preparing for her, and she fought to rise.
"Nothing's gonna matter… cause I couldn't… do anything right for anyone… and it's my own damn fault, isn't it?"
She was horrified to see the white fog flare up violently, nearly consuming him.
"N-no," she whispered, "S-stop it— don't—"
The words were halted as Day glimpsed the object, now fully formed, and pointed directly at her.
A skull, like that of an animal— not goat-like, as Asriel's was. She didn't know what it was supposed to be. But it was massive. It resembled the red machine in the dark lab she'd only recently escaped. A deep blue light glowed from within both its eyes, fixed squarely on her.
Day tried to rise, but no longer had the strength to do so. The most she could manage was to keep her head somewhat lifted off the ground, blood still trickling down her face and dripping from her chin.
The animal skull, whatever it was, let its jaw slide open, and a bright light began to take form inside.
What do I do now? she wondered hopelessly, void of ideas. Nothing she'd done had even made him hesitate— he was just going to keep attacking her, until—
The skull's mouth had filled with the light, blinding white, and it whirred with the energy it took to contain the magic.
Sans raised a hand, prepared to direct the attack.
"… Well." His voice was drained, hopeless, "I might as well try to do something that matters, for once."
"Sans—" Day instinctively tried to stand, but winced and sunk down again, "Sans, no— you're wrong—I didn't— I didn't know— about what you did. I—I'm sorry."
No rebuttal came. It was all she needed to keep talking, a spark of hope flaring up from within.
"I don't understand what you're saying about resetting and timelines, but— but whatever it is, I can't even do it— so you don't have to worry about it— because— it won't happen! And— and you can't give up— you can't give up hope!" She stared at him helplessly, desperate to get through, "You're wrong— things do matter! And you do too! And— and you don't have to—"
In a last-ditch effort, Day held out her hand in invitation.
"I… I can help," she offered, "I want to help… I'm sorry that— that I didn't know about how much you helped me— but I know now— and I want to do the same thing for you! Because you're my friend, and— and— I just want to help you."
Her whole body trembled in anticipation, begging she was truly getting through, "Please… y-you're my friend, Sans."
…
"I don't care."
With a deafening sound, the skull unleashed the full extent of its stored power, engulfing the area where Day sat.
She saw light, felt the blinding pain— but only for a moment.
Then, there was nothing.
Day felt like she was floating in the empty nothingness. The ache of her body was gone, along with any sensations altogether.
She just… lingered.
… Where am I? she wondered, Is this… Am I…?
…
No— I can't go— I was so close to saving them all. I just have to get him back…
Deep down, Day feared it was impossible. And even if she did, how was she supposed to face Asriel? He was still there somewhere, still just as invincible as before.
How do I stop him?
… Then, she realized.
I have to make him remember. Just like everyone else.
He has to remember…
… But first…
Day resisted the aimless void she found herself in, concentrating on the one thing she could still make out, just barely— her heartbeat, faint and sounding far away.
Wake up, she instructed herself, You can fix this. You can save them. But you have to wake up.
Slowly, very slowly, things began to ebb back: the feel of her fingers, the cold earth against her cheek. Flashes of pain erupted in short bursts, growing longer by the minute, but it only helped her find her way back.
Wake up. You have to go back! Wake up!
The nothingness yielded to light, and Day opened her eyes. She was kneeling, hand extended in invitation. Just like before.
Sans was facing her, unmoving. The animal skull was still in place above his head, mouth alight with magic.
Day felt a flood of determination surging through her body, and it was all that enabled her to rise to her feet. When she spoke, it was not in a tentative whisper— the words were clear, intentional, and strong.
"Even if you've given up on everything, I won't."
He made a low sound, and in response, the animal skull began to whir loudly.
"I'm not going to give up on you," she shouted, "And I won't let you, either!"
…
"I don't care."
The skull's mouth dropped open to fire—
Day cleared the distance between them, limp ignored, in seconds. She wrapped her arms around Sans' middle, hugging him tightly.
Nothing happened. The deadly whir continued unabated, and Day slammed her eyes shut, bracing for the worst.
…
… It died out. There was silence.
Something touched her arm.
"… kid?"
And then, her arms were empty. He was gone.
Day didn't allow herself time to be relieved— there was still one more person left to save.
"Asriel!"
There was no response, but she remained undaunted, knowing he could hear her.
"Asriel, I'm sorry!" she yelled, "I'm sorry for what happened to you! How you died! It wasn't fair!"
Her words seem to strike a nerve, because Asriel materialized before her eyes, towering above her.
"What are you doing?" he snapped, no longer sporting the malicious confidence from before.
"It wasn't fair," she repeated, "You were just a kid, and you lost someone important— the most important person to you. And you couldn't do anything to stop it."
Recognition flashed in his eyes, and Asriel almost seemed to flinch.
"Wh—what did you do?!" A hand flew to his chest, as if in pain, "What did you do to me?! What is— this feeling?"
"I know what it feels like," she continued unabated, "I know how it feels… to lose someone you love… and to have to watch them go… and not being able to follow after them."
Day wasn't aware of the tears that had started to bubble up in her eyes, long in coming, "I know, Asriel."
Asriel recoiled with a snarl, "No! NO! I don't need anyone!"
In an attempt to silence her, he summoned a massive barrage of fiery comets, sending them spiraling towards Day. She merely stood her ground, refusing to be moved. A few struck, but it only made her flinch.
"Asriel, no matter what you do, you can't change what happened," she told him, her voice heavy with sympathy, "Hurting me and everyone else won't fix things, and it won't make you feel any better!"
"Stop it! Do you hear me?!" Asriel was roaring, a thunderous sound, and continued to pelt her with fire, "I'LL TEAR YOU APART!"
Day shielded her face the best she could, but her eyes bore into Asriel, refusing to back down.
"You need to stop this!" she demanded, "I'm just trying to help you!"
"NO!"
The comets kept coming, and though more and more hit their marks, Day held fast.
"Asriel! Stop!"
"G-get away from me!"
With a surge of power, Asriel flooded the area with a wave of fire— only to let it die out, a few seconds later.
"Ch-Chara," he stammered, a sudden lapse in his furious tone, "Do you know why I'm even doing this? Why I k-keep fighting to keep you around?"
Fire still emitted from his hands, but Day came to realize that it steered to avoid her, the closer it came. She lowered her hands, peering up at him solemnly.
"I'm doing this because…" Asriel wasn't looking at her, as if speaking to himself— or to a memory of someone who was no longer there, "… Because you're special, Chara. You're— you're the only one who understand me. You're the only one who's any fun to play with anymore…"
Day's heart ached with empathy, knowing exactly what he meant.
"I know," she offered quietly, "I know you're lonely. And I know you're hurt, and scared… I know you just want him back again—"
"N-no," he interrupted, "That's not just it. I… I'm doing this… because I care about you, Chara. I care about you more than anyone else in the world. I'm…" A look of fear crossed his face, "I'm n-not ready for this to end. I'm not ready for y-you to leave me— I'm not ready to have to say goodbye to someone like you all over again!"
Asriel began to shake. Then, astonishingly, he started to cry.
"So please… stop doing this!" In an instant, there was a massive attack readied in his hands, "And just let me win!"
Before she had a chance to react, Day was swallowed up by a blinding, rainbow blast of light. It was unbearable— searing, practically a hurricane of force slammed against her, unceasing. But still, Day held her ground.
"Asriel!" she hollered over the roar of his attack.
"Stop it!"
Day wasn't even strong enough to raise her arms in front of her face, so she shielded it within her shirt the best she could, determined not to fail.
"Asriel!"
"STOP IT NOW!"
"ASRIEL!"
"S-stop it!"
"Asriel!"
"Chara..."
As his voiced died down, so did the attack.
"I… I'm so…" Behind it, another voice returned, and the two spoke in unison, "I'm so alone, Chara…"
Day, still blinded, called out to him once again, "Asriel!"
"I'm s-so… afraid, Chara."
She recognized the returning voice: the child from many years ago. The one from the tapes.
The real Asriel Dreemurr.
"Asriel…"
"… I'm…"
It trailed off. Day began to feel disoriented, and the room seemed to melt away…
Blobs of yellow and green took shape beneath her feet, and Day took a moment to steady herself, trying to take in the surroundings.
She heard a faint sound, from somewhere in front of her: crying.
Day quickly looked up— which proved to be a mistake, as her head swam once more— and saw who was there.
A small monster, the same size as she, was wiping his eyes pitifully. He wore a green sweater with a single yellow stripe across the center. Long ears flopped down on either side of his head, and fluffy white paws obscured his face from view. He vaguely resembled a baby goat.
"… Asriel?" she whispered, "Are you okay?"
At the sound of her voice, he stopped, removing his hands from his face. He offered her a sad smile, tainted by tears.
"I'm so sorry," he whimpered, nearly as soft-spoken as she, "I always was such a crybaby, wasn't I, Chara?"
Day frowned, "… Asriel. I'm not—"
"I know," he interrupted, "I know you're not actually Chara, are you?"
Day shook her head, "No. I'm not."
He uttered a little laugh, as if he'd suspected it all along, "Of course. You couldn't be… Chara's been gone for a long time."
There was a bit of an awkward pause, "… Um. Then what… is your name?"
"Day."
"Day?" Asriel seemed to smile a little, "That's… a nice name. It's sunny."
She couldn't help but smile in return, despite everything that had happened.
"Thank you."
There was a lull in the conversation, and Asriel looked out across the room they were in; the throne room, Day recognized. It was quiet and still, flowers stagnant in the fading light.
"… I haven't felt like this for a long time," Asriel admitted, taking it all in, "As a flower, I was soulless. I wasn't able to love other people. But now, with everyone's souls inside me, I've got my own compassion back. And…"
A hand gravitated up to his chest, as if feeling the sensation while he spoke, "… I can feel every other monster's as well. They all care about each other so much."
He shifted his gaze to meet hers, "They all care about you too, Day. Do you know that? I wish I could tell you just how much they do— Papyrus, Sans, Undyne, Alphys…"
Asriel's voice trailed off a moment, "… Toriel and Asgore."
His tone shifted back to normal, a funny smile on his face, "Monsters are weird like that. Even though they barely know you, it feels like they all really love you."
Asriel laughed a little… but it faltered, replaced with a guilty expression.
"… Day," he said, "I… I understand if you can't forgive me. And I understand if you hate me, too." His eyes were glued to the ground, unable to face her, "I acted so strange and horrible, and I hurt you— you and so many people. I know there's no excuse for what I've done—"
She didn't allow him to finish.
"It's okay."
Asriel's head shot up, baffled, "Wh-what?"
"I said it's okay." Hoping to convince him further (and to ignore her own exhaustion), Day offered a smile, small and sweet, "Everyone deserves a second chance, don't they?"
"… What?" He replied, as if he hadn't understood her; his face shifted to a pained smile, on the verge of tears again, "Day, come on… you're gonna make me cry again…"
She giggled, "You don't have to cry— it's okay. Besides, you'll make me start crying too, and I already do too much of that."
Asriel laughed too, "I guess we're the same, there!" He sighed a bit, and the smile became more subdued, "Besides… even if you do forgive me, I can't just keep all the souls I took— it wouldn't be right. The least I can do is return them… But first, there's something I have to do."
"What is it?"
Asriel placed a hand on his chest, "I can feel it— right now, everyone's hearts are beating as one, burning with the same desire. And with everyone's power… with everyone's determination…"
His hand tightened into a fist, and he looked to Day with an expression of resolve, "It's time for monsters to finally go free."
The two stood side by side, facing down the strange barrier. In light of everything she'd faced, it seemed a little smaller to Day, this time around.
"Do you think it will work?" she asked, turning to Asriel, "People said that it would take seven human souls to break it, and you only have six."
He nodded, "Yeah, but if you take the soul of every monster living in the underground, that's enough power to equal a single human soul…" His smile showed a tinge of uncertainty, "… Or at least, it should be enough."
Day reached out and put a hand on his shoulder, reassuringly.
"We'll never know unless we try," she advised, "… It will be okay. We can do it."
Her determination passed over to Asriel, and he nodded, brow set.
"Right. We can do it. We have to!"
Asriel took in a breath, and then began to walk forward, a hand extended before him. He walked until he felt resistance, his hand flattened against the nearly invisible surface of the barrier.
From afar, Day could see his mouth moving, but she couldn't make out the words being said.
Then, light began to radiate around Asriel; a little ring of glowing objects, each a different color. Around them, more lights appeared, white, and encircled Asriel in a slow revolution. They began to speed up, growing brighter and brighter, until they formed a seemingly inseparable ring. Day could only watch, mesmerized by what she was seeing.
The barrier suddenly stopped shifting, turning a stark white. It seemed to fight against whatever was being done to it, struggling to hold fast—
But it failed.
An enormous crack shot up from where Asriel touched it, reaching the very top, hundreds of feet above.
For a moment, all was still.
And then, finally, it happened. With a sound like crumbling stone, the white magic gave way, shattering and dissolving into the nothingness. It revealed darkness, and whatever else lied beyond.
The barrier was destroyed.
While Day was frozen, marveling, Asriel approached her slowly. He looked tired, so Day gave him a wide smile.
"You did it!" she exclaimed.
He smiled back, "Well, it wasn't just me…"
His voice was low, quiet— Day caught it immediately.
"What's wrong? Are you okay?"
"Yes, I am. I just… I… have to go now," he admitted, "As soon as I release everyone's souls, without that power… I can't keep maintaining this form." Asriel stared down at his hands, having only just gotten them back after so long, "I'll… turn back into a flower: stop being "myself." I won't be able to… to feel love or kindness again… So…"
Asriel still tried to smile, but it was obviously forced, "… So it's best if you just forget about me, okay? I'll… I'll let them all go, and… you can go be with the people you love."
Day's heart broke, hearing this. Fighting tears, she hurried forward, wrapping him up in a tight hug.
Asriel flinched, taken aback. At first, he didn't move… but then, a series of soft sniffles let Day know he was crying.
She gave his back a little pat, trying to further comfort him.
"It's okay," she reassured, starting to cry, herself— but she knew it would only make things worse, so she did her best to hide this, "It's okay, Asriel."
She felt his arms rise to return her embrace, clinging to her like a lifeline.
"H…ha," he managed to utter, "I-I… don't want to… l-let go…"
"Then don't," she told him. "Before you go, you can… wait, for just a little while longer. We can talk, or just relax… since… we might not be able to do it, again. Anything you want to do is important."
Day knew he was hesitant, and he didn't respond right away.
… His hug tightened.
"… okay. I'd like that."
Both of them were slow in going, considerably drained from all that had happened (though maybe Day had a bit more to endure) and walked back to the throne room together.
Asriel wasted no time in climbing up onto the large throne in the center, and helped Day to do the same— there was more than enough room for them both.
"Dad used to let me and Chara play in here all the time," he told her, "As long as we didn't hurt any of the flowers. We didn't have these yellow ones though— I remember white ones, and little light blue ones… I don't remember what type they were, though."
"Forget me nots?"
"Huh?"
"The flowers. Forget me nots are little and blue— and they grow near the top of the mountain. So it might have been those."
"Oh yeah— that might be it!" He gave her a goofy smile, "Kinda funny that I forgot their names, isn't it?"
She giggled, "Yeah."
"… Day, let me ask you a question I've been thinking about."
"Okay?"
He looked at her, curiously, "Why did you come here? To the mountain, I mean. Everyone knows the legend right? That people who climb Mt. Ebott sometimes disappear, and aren't ever seen again. Why would you want to climb a mountain like that?"
Day didn't answer immediately, glancing down at her hands. They were scuffed up from having to catch herself over and over again.
"… I just… came to pick flowers."
"That's it?" he questioned, "You can't get flowers somewhere else?"
"I can," she agreed, "But I like the ones here, better."
It wasn't the whole truth, and gradually, Day sighed in defeat, "And besides, I used to come up here a lot, when I was really little. With my family."
Asriel could feel the change in her demeanor, and his expression turned to one of concern.
"Did something happen to them?"
With great effort, she nodded.
"They… it happened a long time ago, so it's okay… but I always… once a year, I try to come here and pick flowers, and bring it to…" Day couldn't quite form the words, so she compromised, "… Just so they know I haven't forgotten about them."
Asriel understood, even with her ambiguity, and he nodded.
"I'm sorry."
There was a pause.
"… Well. I know why Chara climbed the mountain. It wasn't for a very happy reason."
"What do you mean?"
Asriel met her eyes, seeming like he was mentally wrestling over his words.
"… I'll be honest with you," he finally admitted, "Chara… really, really hated humanity. He never told me why— he didn't like to talk about it, not with anyone. But he felt really strongly about it."
She frowned, not sure what to say.
"In fact, I don't know why I ever acted like the two of you were the same person— I mean, even though you both look a little bit alike—"
Day recoiled a bit, "I look like a boy?"
"No!" he blurted, "That's not— that's not what I mean! I mean, your hair is a little— the both of you have—"
She hastily tried to smooth down her hair, sure it did her no favors.
"I don't really look like that much of a boy, do I?" she demanded childishly, as if it was suddenly the most important thing in the world.
He made a flustered sound, looking bright pink underneath the fur, "That's not— not the point I was trying to make! I mean, no, you don't! Really! But what I mean is, you're really… you're nice, and you don't want to hurt anybody, no matter what. Chara was nice to me, but sometimes, it felt like… like he was just so angry, deep down." Asriel seemed to be realizing something, and it weighed on his words.
"Maybe… Chara wasn't really… the greatest person. And I was projecting a little bit." He gave her a sheepish grin, "Uh, I mean, let's be honest— I did and said some pretty weird things, as a flower."
"Yeah, maybe a little."
"Oh," he remembered, "And in the future, if somehow you do see me… not me, but uh… "Flowey"… please try not to think of it as me, okay? Just remember me as the real me— like this. Someone who got to be your friend for a little while. Okay?"
Day nodded, trying to think of anything she could say to make the conversation go on longer.
But Asriel seemed to know what she was doing; he just sighed, shaking his head with a smile.
"I really do have to go now," he insisted, "Or I'll never be able to."
He hopped off the throne, leaving Day where she sat.
A pang of urgency shot through her, knowing the finality of what was about to happen.
"Asriel—"
He turned back to face her, his expression the same.
"Don't worry," he reassured, "You're going to do a great job— no matter what you do, everyone will be there to help. It'll be okay." His smile widened into a friendly beam, "Okay?"
Without waiting for her to answer, Asriel began to walk through the flowers of the garden, towards the entrance of the throne room.
Day hurried to jump off the throne herself, but the moment she made impact with the ground, her head reeled. Her leg, her side, her arm… everything began to come back into focus, gnawing away at her. Above all else, a profound sense of exhaustion had seeped into her consciousness, pulling her downwards.
Still, Day fought to stay awake and upright, to follow Asriel.
No, not yet— he can't go— not yet—
She reached out for him, "Asriel!"
At the edge of the flower patch, he stopped, turning to look over his shoulder. He didn't look sad or even afraid. Instead, he seemed calm, resolute. At peace.
"Oh, and by the way… take care of mom and dad for me, okay?" he asked, his voice light despite the sincerity behind it, "I'm trusting you to help them be happy, again. But I know you won't have any trouble with that."
Day's knees wobbled, forcing her to kneel. Still, in desperation, she reached out.
"Asriel…"
Asriel just raised his hand in a wave, still smiling.
"Goodbye, Day. And thank you. For everything."
He turned, leaving the room behind.
Day was swallowed up by fatigue, and despite her best efforts, was pulled under by it. She slumped forward into the embrace of the flowers, an arm still extended before her.
"As... ri… el…"
Her hand fell to the ground, powerless, and Day finally drifted off into an unwilling sleep.
Thank you for taking the time to read! I'd appreciate any feedback you have- that's what keeps me writing! ^-^
