A/N: Hello everyone. I'm currently writing from my brother's laptop while in a hotel in Boston, the night before an anime convention. I am, for the lack of a better word, crazy. YAAAAAY. So last chapter ended with Ruby…understandably pissed. Specifically at…you know…Cinder…yeah.

TENSIONS WERE HIGH LAST EPISODE. (crap i meant chapter.)

So I thought, this chapter, we'd switch over to everyone's favorite couple, (seriously, like everyone i know that reads this story loves these two. even i love them.) Chara and Yang.

Looking out the dorm room window, Chara contemplated his situation. He cautiously examined each broken shard of the moon as it floated in the black sea of stars. Chara let out a great sigh, closing his eyes and flopping into a cushioned armchair.

"It's all my fault. If I hadn't told Frisk to go look for Ruby, she'd probably still be here. Now what? Now, she's probably either dead, or worse, captured by…them. It's all my fault."

Yang had been outside the dorm listening to him wallow in self-pity for the moment, and had decided to intervene.

"What's all your fault?" she asked knowingly as she entered the room, sitting down onto the bed.

"I sent Frisk to her death."

"Don't say that. You don't know if she is dead."

"She probably is. She hasn't sent any word since she left. It's been two years, Yang. Two years. How could she simply forget to send proof-of-life messages to us for two years?"

"Relax. It's not your fault if she is. She would've gone after Rubes anyway. I mean, who wouldn't? Of course, I haven't seen her in two years, like you said, so I'm going off of what I remember from when I last saw her. She could be totally different now. What do you think she's like now? Tall? Serious? Longer hair? Ooh! Maybe she's…filled out some more?" Yang rambled, a thoughtful look in her eyes.

"Yang, please. She's your sister. In any case, I'm leaving tomorrow to go find them. I've got a pilot, a transport ship, and everything."

"Well, one, I know she's my sister. Two, I know she's got Frisk. Three, ew…just, no. Also, you are forgetting something."

"And that would be…"

"Yours truly, of course! You wouldn't wanna leave me Yangin', would you?"

"You know, just because of that, I might."

"Come on, man! It'll be like an early honeymoon!"

"This isn't a joke."

"I wasn't joking. You've gone grey-haired in only two years from stressing out over Ruby and Frisk. You need something to keep you happy."

It was true. Over the two years Frisk had been missing, Chara's hair had gone gradually grey. His hair at the moment was a mess. Unkempt, long, and unwashed-looking (and smelling). It shone bright, silver in the light of the moon, which accented the few areas that remained a spotted brown, bringing to mind the image of a bloody bandage wrapped around his head.

*the look on her face says she means it. yet…you feel uneasy about taking her with you. the decision…it fills you with…deliberation.

*…

*…

*well?

*decisions aren't gonna make themselves, jackass.

"I'm gonna regret this, I know I am. Screw it, pack your things and we'll set out first thing in the morning."

"I thought you'd say that. Admit it: You can't resist me," Yang said, teasing him.

"Just start packing, or I'll send you packing," he returned in an equally flirtatious manner.

"So, old boy, where are we headed today?" the pilot asked excitedly.

Climbing into the ship, Chara grumbled.

"Drop the 'old' and the chipper attitude. We're flying over Patch."

"Patch? That place's infested! You sure you're ready for that?"

"We're a helluva lot more ready for it than you are, that's for sure. You don't even need to touch down there, just let us jump. We'll find another way off the island."

"How?"

"Hope to whatever god there is there's a boat docked there somewhere? I don't know, we'll think of something, even if we have to swim off the island."

"Well, gotta say, I admire your tenacity. Let's get flyin'!" the pilot shouted, turning the ignition key and wooping and hollering as the engines kicked into gear, hovering off to Patch.

Well…the pilot wasn't kidding. It's definitely infested…where's the house? I know it's in the woods somewhere, and the other houses from the village weren't that far off from the forest…I…uh…come on, I spent a half a year there, I should know where it is!

*maybe if you cared enough to take a few trips to the village, you would know where the cabin is in relation to the location of the village.

Sans, now is not the time.

*just sayin' is all…though it really would've done some good for you to get outside more. you'd be less pasty and pale. i mean, you look more like a skeleton than i do. at this point, i think you're at the mercy of yang's sense of direction.

"So…where's the house?" Chara asked.

"I know where it is, just follow me," Yang said confidently.

"I was afraid you'd say that," he responded, sounding disappointed.

The cabin was a mess.

Clothes, papers, cans, tins, and boxes were thrown everywhere.

Chara…hadn't taken it well. He had begun to worry.

"What if they aren't here?"

Yang didn't respond.

"Do you think they were attacked?"

Yang didn't respond.

"What's going on?"

Yang didn't respond.

"Why are you acting so calm?"

…

Yang turned around, giving Chara a very annoyed look.

"Look, buddy. I know you're her older brother, and it's sweet that you care so much about her, but there's a point where you should just stop thinking out loud. It gets kinda annoying, and a little creepy. It starts to sound less like brotherly worry and more like obsession. Trust me. I'm talking from experience. Remember how crazy my dad acted when he saw the state of us after Beacon fell?"

"Yeah…it was kinda funny to watch him scramble around like that. Though…now that I think about it, I feel bad about that. He fell down the stairs, like…three times in the same day."

"Think about having to deal with him like that for the better part of seventeen years."

"Yeesh."

"Yeah. Words of wisdom: don't go batshit over this. Besides, I was totally right."

Yang pointed to a cabin window, grinning madly.

Chara curiously wandered over to the window and peered in to see Frisk and Ruby, safe and sound, laying on the couch together. Breathing a sigh of relief, he made his 'arduous journey' to the door and gently knocked.

"I got it, Frisk."

"Put your hood up. You never know who it might be."

Opening the door, Ruby looked ahead to see…a green and yellow sweater. Looking up, she met the face of a grey-haired, seemingly familiar man.

"Ozpin?"

"Oz- wha- are you serious? Do I really look that old?" he said angrily.

"What is it? Are you his evil twin brother, come to kill me?"

"Uh…no?"

"Good. Because I could kill you at any time. Keep that in mind. So…if you aren't here to kill me, what brings you to my neck of the woods?"

"I wanted to find Frisk. I've been worried about her."

"Did…Weiss find a way to turn Asriel into a human? Because I feel like that's what I'm looking at right now."

"Damn it, Ruby, it's me! Chara!"

"Relax, dude! I spotted Yang spying on us in the window, and I thought some funny business was coming," Ruby said, turning and addressing Yang with, "Yeah, Yang, I saw you, I'm not blind."

"Whoa. Ruby? That's you? You're…taller! More…serious! You've got…longer hair! And…uh…yeah…" Yang trailed off. She had just noticed…Ruby had grown more than she had.

"Yang, I can see where you're looking. My eyes are up here," Ruby said, gesturing toward her face.

"Never thought I'd see the day where you were the one saying that to me."

"Well…things change. Come in. I've got some news to share with you guys."

Ruby regaled them with the tale told in Summer's letter, and told them that she had wrecked the house to pack for their expedition for vengeance. Frisk had butt in with occasional jokes to break the tension left by the story, but the news was heavy. Cinder had killed Ruby's mother, and now, with the power she held, she could have her vengeance the moment she set eyes on her target.

But so many questions remained unanswered. Who was that boy that came through the portal? What use did a pen have? What significance did Ness and the Starman hold? Why would Salem want to destroy the four academies? Just how many underlings did she have left? How would they defeat her if they barely know anything about her?

All the questions they could think of would remain unanswered if they didn't do anything, so, with one final, sad look back at the cabin, they left for the docks in the village, where they found plenty of abandoned boats.

"Okay. Practicality…or Vanity?" Yang asked no one in particular, trying to choose between a large boat, almost like a floating shack, or a luxury speed boat, seats and coolers taking up most of the boat's space.

"Votes for practicality?" Frisk prompted.

Frisk, Chara, and Ruby raised their hands.

"Votes for vanity?" Chara half-heartedly prompted, knowing who would vote for it.

Yang raised her hand.

"Practicality it is, then," Ruby said, satisfaction in her voice as she marched to the floating shack, bringing Frisk with her.

*Foolish children. You know nothing of what you are fighting.

The sky suddenly turned an ominous shade of purple, a storm starting immediately.

"I've got a bad feeling about this…" Chara said, staring up at the clouds.

*You know you fight a woman named Salem, but you know naught of what she is capable of.

"I know she's capable of cowardice! You've sent henchman after henchman after me! Not once have we met face to face! What, are you scared of a little girl with grey eyes?" Ruby yelled, trying to anger whatever was causing the storm.

*Very well. You require a challenge. A test of might, if you will. In time, you will see…Might controls everything. Without strength, you cannot protect anything. Let alone yourselves.

*Let us see if your Mercy can save these poor souls. Visions of the past haunt those living in the present.

*The deaths of many hang over their heads.

*Friends,

Papyrus appeared in front of them, a defined blade-hole left in his chest, and red, Grimm-like markings covering his body.

*And even enemies.

Roman Torchwick joined him, his overcoat half-melted, burn marks left on the exposed flesh. His eyes were black with red irises, Grimm markings marring his face, continuing on a hat made from the material that made up Grimm masks.

*Can you save them? Is it possible? Or is it better to just kill them?

"RUBY. H-HELP…PLEASE. MY…MY CHEST…IT HURTS. I DON'T KNOW WHY."

"Red. I've had a lot of time…to...think about what I've done, y'know, what wi-Urgh!-with me being dead and all…If anyone deserves a second chance, it's him. He's done nothing wrong. Me? I'm where I belong. I ain't sayin' anything about the afterlife, but…I just hope Neo doesn't end up where I'm goin'."

…

*DECIDE. Kill? Or Save? Friend? Or Enemy?

Ruby approached Papyrus.

*Ruby…this isn't a good idea. If anything, this is a trap.

I have to do this. I owe it to Sans.

*ACT

*CHECK

*Papyrus? ATK ? DEF ?

*No one should have to suffer through what he's going through.

"RUBY…I…IT HURTS TO LIVE…K…"

*Papyrus is sparing you.

*ACT

*Ask

"Papyrus…what hurts? Why?"

"KILL ME...PLEASE."

*Papyrus looks like he's melting.

*His body isn't co-operating with the determination holding it together.

*ACT

*Puzzle

*You ask Papyrus for help in a Junior Jumble wordsearch.

*Papyrus squirms uncomfortably, trying to sustain himself as his grin hurts him.

"HUMAN. DEATH IS MY ONLY MERCY. I CANNOT GO ON LIKE THIS. IF SANS WERE TO SEE ME LIKE THIS…IT WOULD ONLY HURT HIM MORE. I CANNOT BEAR THAT THOUGHT. PLEASE. I MUST ASK YOU TO KILL ME…IF NOT…I'LL DO IT MYSELF."

*…

*It seems talking will do you no good here.

*…

*FIGHT

*999999999

"T-TH…THANK YOU…RUBY. I'LL…BE SURE TO…FORGIVE…YOU…"

*Papyrus faded away.

*Your LOVE has increased.

*LV 10.

Ruby, wrought with grief for a second time, shambled towards Roman.

"Kid, we both know I did some screwy stuff when I was alive. I'm not gonna lie, my actions at the Battle of Beacon cost hundreds, if not, thousands of people their lives. I know you just had to kill a friend, someone you've held near and dear to you, but…can I ask you to do it again, this time…to me?"

*ACT

*Defy

"If I can't save at least one of you, I'll have just proven her point. I can't even believe I'm saying this, but, Roman, I'm going to save you whether you like it or not."

"Kid, please. You're wasting your time. I'm not deserving of a second chance. Sure, I'd love to see Neo again, even just to make sure she's still alive, but…I'm not even supposed to be here talking to you. I died, fair and square. It was an occupational hazard, and now I have to deal with those consequences. It was gonna happen to me eventually. I just didn't expect it to happen so soon."

*He really wants you to kill him. Are you sure you want to do this?

*ACT

*Philosophy

"On the top of that Atlas ship, where you died, you told me something. A code you lived by. You said you were a person who chose to root for the winning side. How you weren't afraid to play dirty to live how you wanted. You told me you were going to do what you did best. Can you remember what that was?"

"They're my last words, of course I remember them…more or less. 'As for me, I'll keep doing what I do best. Lie, cheat, steal, and survive.'"

"Well…that doesn't necessarily mean you have to lie, cheat, steal, and survive with a specific, predetermined team, right? Your philosophy proves that you're morally flexible. You aren't afraid to change sides if it means you win in the end. I'd call it selfish, but you were doing it so you could keep Neo safe. I can both respect and relate to that. So please, just…take my hand."

Ruby extended a hand to Roman.

Roman, or…what was left of the man, looked at her hand in confusion. He tentatively grabbed her hand, nervously shaking it. Once he let go, a lopsided smile lit up his pale-as-death face.

"I'm glad you think I could help."

"I just don't want your little ice cream friend to suffer because of your death. If you'd like, we could stop at Vale to find her before we set out for Vytal," Ruby said, looking forlornly back at the smiling face of her new undead former enemy.

"Either way, you were a target of mine, and all this time you wanted to help me. Now I just feel like an asshole. Well, like you said, 'lie, cheat, steal, and survive' works for both sides of this fight, and I owe you a debt of gratitude. I like to consider myself a gentlemanly thief, so I make good on the promises I make, no matter what. I'll help in any way I can."

"Well…You could start by helping us fix up this boat," Chara suggested, kicking a dent in the side of the boat they had chosen. "Oops? Uh…That'll buff out, right?" he asked.

"Well, sailor, lemme tell ya, we've got some work to do if we're getting off this island anytime soon," Yang said, powering up her arm, an electric hum coming from it.

So, now with a new ally and some heavy hearts, they set to work, repairing the boat to seaworthy conditions.