The dream Chara'd had was vibrant in their mind; the dream that was also a memory even if it had mixed the past with the present and then distrorted it. Because in the dream, when they had gone out into the garden, it was not how it had been in the past when they had lived in New Home but that was where the borrowed memory took place. But the garden wasn't even that of the present, either. The garden was flooded with their little yellow flowers, both of them. The ones they had loved so fully, the golden flowers they did not know the true name for, and those fateful buttercups.

The flowers grew side-by-side, their stems lacing together. The joy and the sadness irredeemably intertwined forever.

And there Asgore was, kneeling down among them.

"Who knew something so small could cause so many problems." He said to them without looking up and Chara's fingers had tightened around their worn dagger... But he did not mean to refer to them, at least not entirely. At least in the actual memory, he had not meant to, but in the dream his voice was laced with knowing. Chara looked on as Asgore observed the small petals of a buttercup as he traced it with his thumb that was slowly blistering before their eyes.

So small and the colours so bright. Yellow. The colour they associated with hope. For their golden flowers. For their father's golden hair. For the stripes in their brother's shirt. For the Save Star that offered them another source of warmth, that replaced the birght, yellow sun. The buttercups. So bright, so small, so destructive. A mistake.

But what if they could use that destructiveness for good? What if there was another source of hope? What if the yellow colour was not in fact a mistake...? The sun was also harsh and cruel but beautiful at times. They also wore yellow strips, and supposedly Chara was also a source of...

"We must keep up our hope in any little way we can. Together." He told had once told them and he repeated in the dream.

"But what if there is a better way?" Chara had whispered, the plan already forming in their mind...

If they could use that destructiveness for good... If they were human.. If that was all they were truly good for...

The dream, the distorted memory, was fresh in Chara's mind as Frisk left Papyrus, Sans, and Undyne in Snowdin. Papyrus offered his warm smile, Undyne her fierce encouragement, and Sans? One last punnific performance followed by Papyrus' horrified declarations of disbelief that this would be the memory he chose to send them off with. But Chara had laughed softly along with Frisk.

"See you later." They had told everyone, a promise in their voice. And as they walked away, they reluctantly held the dagger in their hands once more.

After all.. It was still good for cutting weeds and vines... It was still...

They chose not to think of it much more. They chose not the think about the fact that they still had no plan. No set of variables. So few choices to explore.

The Locket bounced against their chest as their heart pounded against their ribcage.

But they would do this. They could. They believed.

Frisk and Chara Saved in the rose-tinted light of Judgment Hall, that thought, that mantra, echoing through both of their minds.

They had to do this.

So therefore...

They could.

They would.

But even then the Save Star refused to offer them any warmth...

Asgore was not watering this time, instead he was bent down much like in their dream, picking flowers. The ones in New Home had already begun to whilt. He heard them come in and just like always he called out to them to wait as he finished up. The memory the dream had manipulated flashed in Chara's mind and it breeched over into Frisk's.

Him turning towards them, smiling that same smile he had given Chara from his bed a few days before, even as his stomach had tried to destroy him from the inside out.

"Howdy, Chara! Would you like to help me pick flowers for the kitchen table?"

The garden had had such a variaty back then...

Frisk's fingers had begun to grip the dagger tightly and they bit their lip, the warmth and sadness of the memory too much but at the same time filling them with resolve. Filling them with determination...

"Dum dee dum."

*You want to run.

They no longer wished to run... They too often ran. Hiding away... Much like he did, hoping to avoid the problem. Hoping another human never came.

It was a new day but Asgore's expression was just the same upon seeing them. Chara flinched, cowering a bit in the morning light as somewhere a bird squawked out of tune. Frisk took a deep breath, the smell of the golden flowers choking them, reminding them of the inevitable Reset to come...

"Greetings." Chara spoke. The pain flashed so clearly in their father's eyes.

The Locket, the dagger, their words... It was all designed to strike him true.

"...You have the same feeling of hope in your eyes."

But the fear balanced evenly with the hope. They really were scared, both of them. And Chara also felt a wave of guilt.

Asgore lowered his head darkly and that guilt only amplified. But also the determination.

Chara had made this mess... They were going to get Frisk out of it.

But their hand was shaking.

"the king isn't going to listen to me, kid... not one person he barely knows over the hopes of the entire underground."

Even if he did not want to do this...

"It's what Chara had."

"You know what we must do." Asgore told them.

What they must do...

The memory of them putting those flowers to their lips flashed within their mind and they flinched again. But Frisk was there in an instance, as if holding their hand. Chara stood up straight, lifting their chin.

"I want to stay." Frisk said quickly as he turned to go into the other room. Asgore stopped short of taking that final step that lead out of the garden and onto the battelfield. "We could just stay... " Chara continued. "We could be like a family." They saw his stance waver and he looked over his shoulder towards them. They saw his defenses lower, but not enough. "I don't want you to have to fight."

"Come into the other room when you're ready." He said, his voice broken and his eyes blank. And then he left, not heeding their words, but he had indeed hesitated.

They reluctantly followed him out to The Barrier, determined to find the right wording.

One.

They rushed through Judgment Hall...

"Greetings."

Two.

"You know what we must do."

Three.

"Small one, it is... but a fantasy."

Four.

"But it's not a fantasy!"

The more they pushed, the faster he escaped into the next room. Their determination to get him to stop only forced him to harden his heart against them. Because he had to get to The Barrier. He had to get them into their Fight. He had to destroy-

ME/R/CY

"I don't want to fight you."

*Seems like talking won't do any more good.

Five.

Six.

Seven...

Seven.

Seven.

Seven homes Frisk had seen. Seven souls. Eight.

Eight.

Chara collapsed in the back of Frisk's mind, fire raging all around them as Asgore initiated his turn. Frisk gasped in shock as full control was shifted their way, their eyes flashing brown as their LO faltered considerably all at once. They ran alone, dodging the rain of fire as best they could as Chara cried.

Eight. Eight homes, Frisk had technically seen. Eight Souls hurt. No.. more than that. And still there would be more. Chara had just been in so much denial that they could stop all of this. That they could solve any of the problems they had caused.

They couldn't keep doing this...

This was impossible.

ME/R/CY

"he's not going to listen to one person..."

The pie. The words...

Ch-Chara...?, Frisk prompted in desperate concern. Frisk tried reaching out for them as best they could while also concentrating on the raging flames, but Chara refused to reach back... They stayed collapsed in the back of Frisk's mind, sobbing. There was a falling sensation in Frisk's chest as Chara continued to collapse.

But they had to. They had to keep going. They'd promised. They'd promised to not give up. They'd-

*But we can't...

Frisk staggered to a stop, taking in deep breaths as the attacks halted and their turn lay before them.

Chara?!

A wave of fresh pain rolled over their Soul and Frisk reached back even more desperately.

*I need...

*I need a moment.

*I'm sorry.

*I'm...

Frisk bit their lip and kept their distance from Chara even as they tried their best to send a countering wave of reassurance and warmth and determination... but they could not entirely hide their own creeping doubts.

Frisk looked up at Asgore who stood expectantly for them to take their turn...

How many times... had they been there? How many times?

They didn't really know Asgore, they never got the chance. Their interactions had been limited, never moving past this scene, not really, before a Reset would occur. But Chara knew him. They had seen him through Chara's eyes. He was a good man, but hurt... Frisk knew that, too, through their own eyes. He was hurt. They had seen him scatter, they'd seen... But they don't know how to stop it either, any more than Chara. What words their untrustworthy throat could attempt to produce. What words that allowed them to stay. For the adults to stop. For the adults to let them stay... If they knew, they would have never fallen into the Underground to begin with. They would have never lost their mother.

Frisk's breath caught as they felt Chara falling more into despair, unable to pull themself out of it like they wanted to. And Frisk can feel Chara's frantic thoughts. Still trying to find a way. There had to be a way. Something ! The right thing! Chara was thinking about his smile.. On his bed smiling at them, even as his stomach tried to kill him. There had to be a way! A better way!

But still... What could they say...?

*There's nothing left to say!

"I..." Asgore was waiting, Frisk had to take their turn.

Frisk's eyes were filling with tears at the thought of all the things they wanted. All the things they wanted to learn about him, all the things they wanted to do. To have that cup of tea. To listen. But all they've ever gotten was...

Asgore's head was still lowered, the trident held tightly in his hands. The knife tightly between their fingers even though they didn't want to hurt... The dagger slipped from Frisk's fingers and they grapsed at The Locket with both hands, squeezing tightly with all their might as they tried to flood themself and Chara with the warmth of memory, the memory of sleeping close to someone, their comfort after a terrible scare. But still the pain was rippling through both of them as they were stuck in place. Their mother's hands too tightly around their arm. Vines. Toriel's soft fur-

A smile, him in his bed as his stomach tried to kill him. Because of what they'd done.

A tear fell along Frisk's cheek, and in their own mind they thought about his smile... As magic filled the air, his body crumbling into dust...

"I've..." Frisk's eyes narrowed as the pain consumed them. "I've seen you die too many times to count." They told him.

*He doesn't care!

Chara was broken and sobbing and collapsing even furthur.

*That's not going to work! He doesn't care!

*He doesn't care that he dies!

Frisk's breath shuttered as their Soul felt another stab of Chara's intense pain, but Frisk... Frisk knows...

If Chara had seen the outcome of their death they would have never touched the flowers.

If Asgore knew...

"I've seen you die too many times to count!" Frisk cried again, covering their face as they sobbed loudly.

Flowey. Himself. Frisk had almost gotten close to doing it as well, if they had just gotten past Sans. They just...

"I don't want to." Frisk cried into their hands. "I don't want to fight. I don't-" They don't want him to die. They don't want to die. They don't want anyone to die ever again!

They staggered, almost collapsing onto their knees from the weight of it all.

"You've died too many times to count..." Frisk lowered their hands and tried their best to look directly at Asgore through their blurred vision. "You've died too many times..." Frisk breathed. "You think what you're doing is what you have to. You think that one of us has to die in order for somebody to be happy. But you're wrong!"

They took a stumbled step forward, they could see that Asgore's head was still down but that he was incrediably tense, that he was listening.

"I.. I j-just want to st-stay with everyone. Please, I just want to stay. Please. I don't want you to die again. I don't want anyone to die. It'l. It'll only lose everyone's hope further. Please..." They began to reach out for him. They grasped his robes weakly and there was something desperately choking them. "Please... Stop fighting."

They don't care if it is now his turn, they don't care... Spare. Fight. Keeping turns. It was all just a formality. He had shattered their Mercy, but he could not, not ever, rob them of their feelings.

"I do not deserve your mercy, child." Asgore whispered.

"Well neither do I!" Frisk cried. "But please... please..." Their eyes brimmed vibrantly gold.

Dad...Please...

"Please..."

Asgore was bending down, his arms wrapping around them and the two children lost any control over themself they had maintained. They broke into even more desperate sobs as they hugged him, their arms tight around his neck.

"Please..." They cried again. "Please. Everyone will be so sad. Everyone will miss you. Their hearts will be broken, they'll lose the hope you've given them." They took in another shuttered breath. "Undyne will... Undyne will be s-so miserable." They continued, thinking back to the phone call they always got when they descended the mountain. "Sh-She'll be so miserable. And angry. And hurt. And she'll work at an illegal hot dog stand and she'll hate it and she'll miss you and-and I'll-"

"Hush, child, hush." He soothed. "It is alright. You do not have to Fight. No one.. No one will die again. I promise you. As long as you remain here... I will protect you. I promise." He told them, and they could hear the tears in his voice.

ME-R-CY

Frisk let out a breathed chuckle, so deliriously relieved and they took a sharp breath before they buried their face against his shoulder.

But... It was short lived. For he had made a promise he could not hope to truly keep.

Frisk, Flowey!

But it was a moment too late.

The vines entangled around them and they were ripped violently out of Asgore's arms. They screeched and reached out frantically for him, kicking at the vines trying to snag their feet.

"Child!" Asgore called. He grunted as he tried to rip the vines off of himself. As he tried to burn them away but they simply regrew faster than he could keep them off.

Flowey's laughter reviberated through them, shaking them to their core. The vines tightened around them and for a moment they lost their breath. Asgore was dangled high above their head. To burn himself free would ensure his nasty fall.

"You really think you could get past this?" Flowey demanded, his voice booming. He had already absorbed The Souls, the world was unraveling around them. They could not reach their Save. "Let me show you... I may not be able to destroy you fully, but I can still take this away. I can still make you understand!" He shook them and they yelped as the vines began to wrap around their arms. Too tightly around their arms! "In this world... It is kill or be killed. The sooner you realize that the better."

"Child!" Asgore called again and Frisk and Chara looked towards him, frantically needing to asses the situation. He was wrapped in even more vines, the thorns cutting into him but Flowey seemed intent on keeping him alive for now as well. And they realized... He was now an even bigger part of the game. Frisk's heart raced and they felt the failed LOAD ping in their chest, but... That was for the best.

They breathed in steadily, swallowing as they were flipped back around again and lifted higher, Flowey squeezing. They lifted their head, glaring up at the TV-like screen of a face that was smiling menacingly down at them, eager to see what they would do this time. How they would try to Save... How they would get themself out of this one... And they would.

They no longer wanted to run.

And if they had to Fight... They would Fight for this.

"Asgore..." They called and Flowey's smile grew at the edges as he chuckled. But Frisk and Chara were now looking down at the captured king. He was clearly scared for them, but they smiled. "Don't worry." Their eyes hardened, blazing. "We're not going to let go of everyone's hopes and dreams." They were going to make this right in the only way they could! "We're going to stay determined!"

They saw something flash on his face, and as they turned back towards Flowey...

.

"I heard him whisper my name."

.

They faced Flowey, the fear of losing everything stoking their determination even farther. Flowey laughed wildly as he pulled them in and the battle began. But he could not know... Flowey could not even know the half of it. He knew they had been here before, had faced him with the Souls rebeling, but he could not know everything... All the things they had suffered and were willing to go through.

He had no clue who he was messing with.

Their Soul shattered, but then they were forced back into place. Asgore's dust scattered, but then it all rewound again. Over and over and over.

But they would not give up. They knew they could get through this. They just had to keep trying.

"Help!" They called each time. And each time... The Souls would send the healing power their way. But that would not be enough. They needed more! This was their best chance... They had to... "Help..."

Help!, They cried out with thier Soul. Help! Help! Help!

Physically they were still enwrapped with vines, but mentally... they were in the darkness, floating freely as they call out across the void. In that place beyond the back of their own mind.

Help!

They called for help...

They were surrounded by colour, the lights clouded over but there... The presences were growing closer as the colours pulsed. Chara and Frisk could feel them... The Souls appeared.

"Please..." Chara begged. They clased their hands together and Frisk stood beside them, holding onto their shoulders as they sent their own call. The Souls drew near, and Frisk once again wondered, if they knew. If they remembered. "Please... Help us."

Chara's eyes closed shut tightly.

"They're my family. Please, help me... I want to Save them. Please help me Save them.. I know they've both hurt you. I know Asgore... But please..." Chara opened their eyes, the tears tracing down their face. "Help me Save my father. Help me Save my brother.. Please.. Help me to allow Frisk to stay!"

The Souls flashed with colour and receded. Frisk hugged Chara tightly as the other child trembled, believing their cause was for naught again, but Frisk knew... The Souls remembered. The Souls knew. They would come.

Flowey was cackling again when they resurfaced from the back of their own mind, their eyes blinking back Chara's tears. They were alive again, with Asgore shouting out for them in his encouragement. The Souls glowed with an intensity Frisk and Chara had never seen, eager to assist.

"What?" Flowey asked in confusion as Frisk's Soul healed, as Frisk's Soul began to shine just as brightly. They reached out a hand.

"Asriel!" They cried out. The Souls pulled, rebelling, rotating around him as he screeched. Frisk and Chara reached out, and the human Souls reached also... Reaching to Save. Resonating... Everyone trying their best.

But Flowey... Refused.

"No! No! No! NO! NO!" He cried. "Obey ME! STOP! STOP! IT! LET ME WIN!"

The Souls were repeled, cast away violently and Frisk cried out in pain as they were shook forecfully. A final, thorned vine raced out towards them, to strike their Soul.

But it never reached them. They hit the ground hard, but when they looked up, the long shadow of Asgore cast over them, a vine directly through the center of his chest.

"DAD!" Chara cried, jumping to their feet and racing towards him. But as soon as their fingers touched the back of his cape, he was crumbling into dust once more.

"NO! No! No! Save him! Please! SAVE HIM!" They fell to their knees as he disappeared in a cloud of dust and The Souls streaked away above them as shooting stars of coloured light. Disappearing along with their hope of this path working... "No!"

They collapsed onto their hands, their fingers digging into the dust and the discarded vines as they cried, their back shaking as they struggled to breathe.

So close! They had been so close!

"Heheheh..." Flowey managed. Chara looked up, he was in even a worse state than he usually was at this point but was was still smiling. "I still won." He gloaded through his exhaustion. They shook their head.

"Why can't you understand?" They whispered, picking themself up and drawing nearer on shaky legs. "Why can't you just understand?!"

"I do! You're the idiot who doesn't!" He snapped. "This world is kill or be killed! No matter how many friends you make! The fact still stands that that's the truth!"

"It isn't!" Chara cried. "It doesn't have to be like this, I was wrong!"

Flowey just laughed weakly again.

"No. You'll see.. Each time you find a way around, I'll be there to remind you. Until you do, truly understand... and do things my way." He cackled again. "So make it easier on yourself, and get it over with." Chara bowed their head and the Soul pulsed.

MERCY

"Psh. Seems neither of us learned anything." He griped and then he escaped underground.

But that wasn't true... Chara had learned a lot of things through this Fight. And in the end what they had learned here would lead them directly to solving how to finish this... And also, in the end, laid the groundwork they would use to stop the Resets for good.

But at the time, they felt utterly alone and exhausted and covered in dust. They collapsed onto their knees, covering their face as they cried, never wanting to go through that again but knowing they would have to in some way. Chara lowered their hands forcefully, the determination that came from the embers of stubborness filling them again. They refused. They'd refused!

Frisk was right there with them, and together they reached for the Save.

LOAD

If they could... get through to him before he made it into the other room... Forced him to stay and listen to them there in the garden.. The Souls would remain locked away. Flowey would not be able to get them... And then! They could work from there!

They raced across Judgment Hall and made their way to the edge of the garden, but instantly they were forced to gasp as vines, smaller than usual, sprung up and entangled them. There were no thorns, they were thin, but Frisk's small body was not strong enough to get through and their dagger was angled helplessly at their side. Flowey cackled as he appeared in front of them.

"You know... I don't believe you've ever had a proper date with Alphys. Maybe you should give her a try." The rage was boiling inside them, tears glistened in their eyes. "No? Well then... If you're so determined. Let's go! Let's go meet the king!"

He threw them forward unexpectantly through the air and they shouted but before they hit the ground more vines had entrapped them. They kicked but he quickly subdued them. Their eyes widened. There was no way to get away from him. Despite the fact that he could easily pass them one vine to another to move them forward, Flowey threw them again.

"Asriel! Stop-" A vine covered their mouth again and he tsked.

"It's Flowey." He reminded. "Flowey. We wouldn't want to break the poor king's heart now would we?"

And then he threw them.

He did that all the way into the garden and he dangled them in the air as Asgore hummed and told them and Flowey to wait just one more moment... They glanced over towards Flowey who was smiling and their heart raced as he sneered for them.

They... They couldn't do this... They could never get through to Asgore with Flowey there to manipulate him. To push him. To interrupt them and twist their words. To make sure Asgore would not back down, to remind him of why he could not Spare them...

LOAD

Frisk and Chara collapsed onto the ground once more, crying softly to themself as their mind raced.

There had to be a way... A way to stop this... A way to get around it! To stop Flowey!

They buried their face against their knees, not finding the strength to move forward without an idea of what to do-

*Ring... Ring...

Frisk sniffled as they lifted their head. They pulled out the phone, looking down at the familiar number even though they already knew for a fact who it was and what it would be about. But that path led to The Barrier. Led to Asriel... They couldn't do that. They wiped at their nose and then pressed their fingers tightly around the phone as it continued to ring.

*Ring... Ring...

Asgore wasn't going to listen, not with Flowey there. They couldn't get past Flowey. They-

*Ring.. Ring..

Frisk's eyes widened and they felt Chara jolt as the thought struck them both at the same time.

"Undyne!" They shouted into the phone as they answered it.

"Woah there, punk, howdja know it was me an' not Papyrus?"

Their mind was racing, so much, too much.

"I need you." They told her.

'Huh-?"

"I need you!"

Flowey could twist their words, twist Asgore into staying with his plan. They needed someone close to change it. To prevent Flowey or at least to counter him. And Undyne...

"... He's kind of like your dad, isn't he?"

"Undyne, I really really need you." Their voice cracked.

"What it it? What's up? Are you... Have you made it to New Home, yet?" They nodded but then realized they sort of had to speak.

"Y-Yes."

"Oh, hey now..." Undyne tried at the sound of their teary voice. "Hey.. It's okay. He's a big ol' whimpy sweetheart just like you. You just have to-"

"No. I need you. I really need you. Please.. Help me."

"Where are you?" Undyne asked immediately, her voice grave.

"Th-The Last Corridor. Just outside-"

"I'll be right there. I promise." They nodded again but this time they don't have to speak. The phone cut off and they held their breath. Their mind was spinning, their lungs hurting as they held breath after breath, waiting.

Undyne emerged from the hallway, sweaty and panting but her single eye staring seriously as it landed on them. Frisk and Chara sprung to their feet and plowed into her, hugging her at the waist. She bent down, still panting, and wrapped her drenched arms around them.

"Oh man, you're a shivering like you're back in Snowdin." She said as they kept their face buried against her. And they realized she was right. They couldn't stop shaking. She supported the back of their head and pressed them tighly as she got her breathing under control. "It's okay, punk. It's okay.."

She sounded uncharacteristically concerned, her voice dropping comfortingly. They pulled away, taking a deep breath. They lifted their head. She was watching them anxiously.

"I don't want to hurt him." They whispered. Undyne shook her head, standing up tall.

"You're not going to hurt him. Like I said, you just have to talk to him and it'll be fine. He loves kids. You'll-"

"The other humans were kids." Frisk cut in and Undyne stopped short, as if she had never thought about that before. "He's not going to stop. If I fight him, I have to hurt him. Please, Undyne. Please..." They grabbed her hands. "Help me..."

"You really are scared... aren't you, punk?" They nodded, their fingers tightening on her hand that they still held captured as she put the other one against their cheek. "You're not scared he's going to hurt you." It wasn't a question. Not in the way it should have been. It was more of a realization on her part. All her words beore had been some sort of comfort, some reassurance that Asgore would let them past. Frisk bit their lip and their heart faltered as their throat clamped shit before they could ask for her help again, there was a brief moment of dread as she smiled sadly for them.

If she knew...

But even if she did know... She would still come for Asgore. Anything to Save him...

"Help..." Frisk managed brokenly.

"Well of course!" Undyne declared. She ruffled their hair, half of it coming into their eyes as she tried to snap them out of their terror. "You silly goose! Do you think I ran across Hotlands and the Core just to leave you hanging?!" They swallowed but shook their head. Undyne smiled. "Alright!" She turned towards the garden. "We'll both talk to Asgore and you'll see. It will turn out fine! Nobody is fighting nobody! If they do they'll have to answer to ME. Got that?!" Frisk held her hand mercilessly but she didn't even flinch. "You'll be across that stupid Barrier and goin' home in no time!"

Frisk came to a stop and Undyne halted beside them as they shook their head.

"WHAT? Still doubt me?" She smiled again, almost maliciously, as if it was a clear challenge.

"No!" Frisk cried. "I... I just want..." They took a deep breath and closed their eyes. "I want to stay." They felt Undyne give a surprised jolt but she didn't respond right away. They couldn't imagine the look on her face but they couldn't open their eyes either. "I don't want to leave, I want to stay."

"But... A good kid like you, isnt' there... someplace somebody is waiting for you?" Undyne asked in disbelief, unable to comprehend their statement, unable to make it make sense.

Frisk shook their head and they were breaking into open sobs again.

"Nobody's waiting for me." They admitted. "Nobody wants m-me."

"H-Hey!" Undyne called and they felt her place her hand on their back, rubbing gently, trying to calm them down. "Hey, no, hey... Shhh. Sssshhhhhhh."

Frisk took in a difficult breath.

"Open your eyes." Undyne demanded. Frisk's heart jumped. She sounded serious and angry. And reluctantly, they opened and their stomach turned because she looked angry too. Serious and angry and firm as she stood tall in front of them. "Now you listen to me." She continued. "What you just said Is Not True."

"I-"

"No." Undyne lifted her chin higher. "Somebody is waiting for you. A lot of somebodies want you. Do you understand?" Frisk shook their head, the tears still tracing down their face.

There was nobody.. Nobody they could think of. Mrs. Garner, while she seemed like she cared would only sigh and take Frisk somewhere else, to some home far out of reach from Mt. Ebott with some elderly lady who would smile at them that same tender smile all caregivers gave them and show them their room that wasn't their room for forever, and-

"We're going to go in there." Undyne began, pointing towards the garden. "And we're going to tell Asgore EXACTLY what's going to happen now." She declared. "We're going to sit down. We're going to talk. And then. He is going to let you go." Frisk's breath shuttered and their heart ached. They wanted to stay- "And you and me? We're going back to Snowdin."

Frisk's face fell in surprise.

You idiot..., Chara said affectionately but also sadly since they knew that Frisk really hadn't anticipated it. Hadn't gotten it right away what Undyne had meant.

Undyne was stern as she bent down and met them face to snotty face.

"We're going back to Snowdin." She repeated. "And everyday is going to be one big sleepover! Everyday is going to be animes and too much candy and super burnt spaghetti family dinners. And you're going to help Sans get his dumb jokes bouncing off the walls and riling Papyrus up and he is going to SMILE and HATE IT and LOVE EVERY SECOND OF IT... Because he loves both of you..."

Frisk was still shaking and now they were sobbing harder as they covered their face, unable to stand the sincerity of her words and the determination in her expression.

"Now... Do you understand?" Undyne asked again, a bit more softly this time. "Somebody is waiting for you. Papyrus. Sans. Every monster you've met and made friends with. We all want you. And if the humans on the surface don't feel the same way then FORGET them! They can have all their cool surface things. If I had to chose between the surface and making friends with you again there is no DOUBT; nothing can compare to being friends with you."

At this point Chara thoughts Frisk would literally fall apart in their embrace.

"U-Un-d-dnye..." The need to tell her the truth was intense but they were physically incapable.

They felt her hands grasp at their waist and Frisk gasped loudly as their hands fell from their face and she began to lift them up over her head. She set them down behind her neck, their legs drapped over her shoulders.

"Now head up." She told them. Frisk lifted their head trying their hardest to obey. "We're going to face our problems head on!"

Frisk breathed in desperately trying their best. In the end, Chara had to push them back a bit and take more control. Forcing their breath to even out and tried their best to clean their face with their sleeves... Which were already dirty and made the task basically impossible. They were still crying, even Chara could not get it to stop.

Frisk and Chara could hear the birds chirping, the smell of flowers through their soaked sleeves. Undyne squeezed their legs momentarily in comfort.

"ASGORE!" Undyne yelled loudly. He lifted his head, a smile already on his face but it shattered the moment he saw Frisk on Undyne's shoulders and the flowers he held fell from his hands and scattered on the ground. He didn't seem to breathe. They could see the despair seeping into his features at the sight of their teary, snot-face, the certainty of having to face and that of the coming Fight inevitable in his mind. For why else would bring a human to him? Why else would thier expression be that terrified?

It broke their heart... But Undyne stood tall, her head against Frisk's stomach.

"Asgore Dreemurr." Undyne declared in a loud voice. "I would like to introduce you to my new bestie."

Asgore's expression fell and he looked utterly shocked as he stared at her and then back to the human child she was clearly referring to.

Chara helped Frisk wave meekly and give him a broken smile.

"I think you will be surprise to find the two of you have a lot in common." Undyne continued matter-of-factly. "And that the most important thing you have in common is... neither of you are fighting each other." She finished through gritted teeth, her eye piercing. But then she smiled for real. "Now is when I think you should probably offer us a cup of tea."

"I..." Asgore had to clear his throat and he stood up straighter, trying to hide how thrown off he was. But he... did not move towards The Barrier room. And still.. Flowey was no longer in sight. Undyne raised a brow, daring him to counter her. There was a tense moment before Asgore smiled, a breathy chuckle escaping his chest. "Yes." He said. "Yes, yes..." He put his hands together, laughing a bit again. "Let me offer you both a cup of tea." His voice cracked with tears.

The relief that Frisk and Chara felt was too much for them again and they lowered their head against their arms as they rested against Undyne's head.

"Hey, punk..." Undyne said, lifting a hand to rest on one of their thighs and rubbed comfortingly as they hiccuped into her hair and their arms.

Undyne began to walk and when Frisk peeked up past their arms, the pink light of Judgment Hall had turned gold. But still in the shadows, they looked. The dread... was returning. The problem still clutching at their Soul. Flowey had to be watching them. Plotting. This... could not last.

The pain slashed through them like a knife and they hiccuped once more.

This couldn't be the end...

There were three things Chara had decided that were needed to stop the Resets and those things were not simply optional.

Frisk. Asgore... Asriel.

It was more than just a few wants. It was a need.

Because if they didn't..

The game would never end. Flowey would never let this last, if he could help it. They would be on guard forever if they stopped like this.

But...

They had called for help...

And Undyne had come.

That alone...

It filled them with determination.

The fact that they could get this ending was all they needed to give them strength. To help them move forward. And Chara... They realized that Frisk was right, they could not stay now. They had to face The Barrier, Flowey... Their mind went to the Human Souls.

An idea was forming, growing in the back of their mind. But they had to think it through more thoroughly. They had to... try something again before they decided fully.

Frisk held the hot teacup between their fingers tightly, not wanting to let go, but knowing... They had to. They were right. Chara was right.

Just a few more times. They had to let go. They knew...

Frisk closed their eyes and they could smell the flowers in the tea and the flowers calling out to them at the bottom of a cave floor. Chara held their hand in support as time began to whisp around them.

RESET

They picked themself up off the ground, biting back tears.

Flowey was cackling at they met him back at the beginning.

"Wowie! What a mystery you aren't!" He told them. His smile grew. "I knew you agreed with me. I knew this was just a game to you as much as it was to me! You just love finding new ways to cheat, don't you? To win! Of course you do!"

"Because here you are!" Flowey echoedas they stood before him again, at the end. Asgore's dust surrounded them and his Soul shattered before their eyes as they bit their lip, drawing blood. Flowey shook his head, the Souls being absorbed into himself. "Well who am I to deny you your fun?"

The Souls...

They came, and Chara and Frisk reached out, feeling, assessing their strength, the ability of the Souls to comprehend, to listen. Their desire to help Frisk and Chara get what they truly wanted. More than just aimlessly heal. More than just rebel, the Souls listened. The Souls followed their lead. Chara breathed out, unable to hide their surprise as the Souls floated around them, all too eager to help. They came to the conclussion Frisk had a long time ago. That they remembered. That they knew. That would make everything a lot easier. That would be their advantage...

The Souls rebeled.

But Flowey just laughed, sure that he won anyways. That they would just Reset and try something new once again.

He was right, of course, but in no way had he won. And he... was not entirely correct about the path they would take.

Chara did not understand, not really. Not at first. They wouldn't for several days.

Frisk slipped past The Barrier and traveled down the mountain. One last time, they told themself. One last time...

Author's note:

Merry Christmas! (Even if that is not your think I hope you have a brilliant day!)

I would just love to thank everyone for their continued support!

ALSO

THE ECHO DRAGON

HOW CAN I LOVE YOU BACK IF YOU DONT HAVE MESSAGING OPEN ASDAFSDFS

It gets me each time, like... Oh! Review! Let me thank them, BUT NO I CANNOT NOT!

So thank you. XD

And then there is The Mod God who is totally an asshole, right? Sending me shit I have to think about and wtf maybe I had plans today that DIDNT involve Undertale. but I GUESS is appreciated anyways. But totally only a bit. Begrudgingly. You asshole.