The golden timeline was still glowing, although it was noticeably less bright than it had been when Patta had entered the void. The change was going to happen soon, but the part of the Entity that was Gaster had calculated there was still some time before it happened. They didn't know how long it'd be, but it should be enough for Asriel and the Entity to talk.
That was why they were sitting on a platform near the timeline, looking at it. The Entity...Patta had turned rather wistful. He wanted to again talk about everything that had happened, everything the three of them they had seen and all the people they had met.
So they did. The three talked about the five days. Asriel told Frisk about the moment he had met Patta, the first impressions, the calm town thousands of miles away from the Underground. Frisk told Asriel about the times they had been with Patta searching for Asriel, fretting and trying to find him. Patta told the children about the things he had talked about with their friends, the little details that had happened.
They smiled while talking about the joyful moments, they turned solemn while remembering the moments they despaired or felt discouraged, they conversed about the serious moments with the earnestness it warranted. No matter what they talked about, there was always that feeling of satisfaction, the kind of feeling that made one look back at everything with fondness.
For a while, the three of them enjoyed each other's company. When there was nothing else to remember and they had run out of topics of conversation, it was decided it was time to finish the discussion. After all...
...the journey was over; this was where the paths would separate.
Asriel, Frisk, I'm not happy that this ended with me practically dying and being erased from reality, but it went okay for the most part, didn't it?
Asriel tilted his head. "What do you mean?"
I was wasting my life when we met. I was just...coasting through life, and I hadn't even realized my own actions had led to that. Traveling with you allowed me to realize it, to find hope.
I'd like to return the favor, but I don't know how
"You don't have to do that, Patta! It's okay" Asriel smiled. He wasn't sure how to ask it, but it was sounding like it was appropriate to ask "Are you happy now?"
...no. It sucks.
The Entity's eye twitched slightly.
There are a lot of unsolved regrets, and no chance to deal with them. But you know what...that's okay. It doesn't mean it's over.
He turned his head and looked at Asriel.
You have grown a lot more than I did. How are you feeling?
"I have grown up...?" it had felt like he had, just a day before, but it was almost surreal to think about it now.
'It's true!' Frisk supported.
Yes, and I don't mean it because you don't look like a child. Asriel, I saw what happened during these five days. You went through so much and instead of giving up, you're still walking forward. You even said you didn't want to be a different Asriel.
...I think that shows fortitude.
It wasn't like the Entity could be sure of what had crossed Asriel's mind while he had said that. It could have simply been not wanting to disappear, instead of being truly satisfied with everything that had happened, but the Entity was willing to believe it was a sign of strength.
I wonder if having Frisk's SOUL within you made you more determined or something.
"Maybe it did" Asriel extended a hand towards the Entity "Patta, I could absorb your SOUL too. I could return into the timeline; you'd still exist...you'd be okay! You don't have to stay here" As far as Asriel could see, it was a good idea. Sure, it'd mean he'd change more, possibly into an even more unsettling form. Sure, his parents would be worried and maybe even angry at him. Sure, he'd have to stay away from almost all the residents of the Underground until the scientists managed to separate the SOULs, and that was if that was possible.
But in Asriel's opinion, it was worth it if it meant saving a friend.
The Entity wanted to take the offer, he really did, but he could think several reasons to not to accept. The first one, and the one closest to his heart, was that he didn't want to burden Asriel with his SOUL. A second reason was that sharing a body with Asriel just didn't seem appealing at all. As he saw it, it'd be like seeing Asriel live his life, Patta wouldn't have his own. He couldn't imagine not being in control of it, just coasting along while Asriel lived his life. It wasn't worth it. There was also the fact that Patta's SOUL had been infused with Gaster's dust, and Patta didn't want to risk anything happening to Asriel for having another monster's conscience and will inside him too.
There were too many risks and disadvantages. As much as Patta would have wanted to accept Asriel's offer, he just couldn't.
Don't offer that to me ever again.
It was blunt, but the Entity hoped Asriel would understand discussing it any further wouldn't lead anywhere. Asriel stared at the words, a tad hurt by the blunt refusal, but accepted the Entity's decision. "Then what will you do? You're going to be out of the timeline, what will happen now?"
Nothing. I'll be here, and you and everyone else will continue your lives.
'That doesn't sound good' Frisk piped up, taking control of Asriel's body for a moment. The change was noticeable enough to get the Entity to notice Asriel had taken a backseat for the moment 'Patta, are you sure you want this?'
I don't want it!
Stop asking me what I want!
This shouldn't be about me; this should be about you two.
What will you do, Frisk?
'I'll be with Azzy' Frisk replied immediately.
Even if it may not be possible to separate your SOUL from his?
Frisk shrugged. Since their death, they had a lot of time to think. 'That'd be fine!' There was silence again while Frisk scratched the platform with Asriel's claws, trying to find the words to tell the Entity what they were feeling.
'I made a mistake and I died. I get it, it was a mistake to want to run away to the Underground. I just wanted to run and not look back, and it hurt Asriel because I died. I should have stayed in the city'
...so now what?
'First we'll help our friends. I'll say sorry to Celia for trying to run away, and then...I don't know' Frisk murmured 'I'm not alive anymore...'
Have you talked with Asriel about it?
'Not yet' It didn't really matter; he was listening to every word now 'I'm dead. My SOUL could be used to break the Barrier, right?'
Seven SOULs are needed.
'Then mine will be the first one! They'll start working with it, and monsters could go free!'
You sound sure they'll be able to separate the SOULs.
'If they can't do it then...' The monster body's eyes watered, but his expression seemed more resigned than saddened '...then that's okay. Azzy is my best friend...I'll be happy being with him, even if it has to be in this body'
The Entity stared at the timeline. Frisk didn't have much of a choice either, but it seemed they would at least be able to convince themselves it was okay, whether it was by giving their SOUL to help break the Barrier somehow or sharing Asriel's body for the rest of the monster's life. The Entity felt sorry for them, but telling them that wasn't going to be of any help. Instead the Entity nodded gravely.
Thanks for everything, Frisk. I'm sorry we weren't closer friends, but I'm glad we met.
Frisk read the floating words a few times before practically attempting to tackle the Entity. The uncomfortable static shock that permanently permeated the Entity's form made the monster body's fur stand on end, and it hurt a little to hold onto the Entity, but Frisk persisted, hugging the Entity tightly. Not having expecting a hug, the Entity was completely still for a moment before returning the hug. It was a much sincerer hug than the one Frisk and Patta had shared beside Frisk's grave. That one had been rather awkward, this one was meant to express how much they meant for each other. They had been friends, and they wanted each other to know it.
After a minute of hugging they let go. It had been satisfying, both Frisk and the Entity felt a bond with each other. 'Bye, Patta...' Frisk said, sniffling.
Goodbye, kid.
Frisk left the control of the body up to Asriel again, having given their farewell to the Entity. Now it was Asriel's turn. Asriel blinked, a bit disoriented at having the control of the body back, but recovered quickly.
"Patta? How long do we have left before I have to go back?"
I don't know, but we have been talking for quite some time already. It'd be good for you to return to the universe.
"...I'm not sure I can say goodbye, Patta...I don't want you to be trapped here forever" Asriel stared into the void. The thought of the Entity spending the rest of his life in this place – if dying was possible, that is – seemed nightmarish. Asriel couldn't imagine anyone accepting such fate when there were other options, and that's what he told the Entity. The Entity listened patiently and sighed.
There aren't other options. Besides it isn't that bad! I have Gaster's knowledge and guidance, and you know what it tells me?
That I can modify timelines. That's what I was going to do, remember?
"Why are you telling me that again?"
I also told you alternate timelines would be created because I'd be erased from reality. Gaster thinks it's because the timeline is destabilized, or something like that.
What I think I'll do is modify those alternate timelines.
Asriel narrowed his eyes, a bit confused. "I don't get it" The Entity waved his hand towards the golden thread.
It'll be like a second chance. Look, it's true things didn't go as well as they could have. Frisk died, and a few other things could have gone much better, but it was a start!
If I modify the timelines, someday I could create one that's perfect.
"Perfect?"
One where monsters and humans can live together, where no one has to die. Hey, if it's possible, maybe I could even make it so the war didn't even happen! Things would go much better for everyone.
For our friends, for Frisk, for you, for your family, for every monster in the Underground...
The words formed faster, the Entity's expression was optimistic. He was trying to put a show for Asriel, though. His intentions really were to create a perfect timeline, but the effort on having to hide that, no matter what, he wouldn't be able to be in it – and that the chances of achieving it were very, very low – was taking a toll on him. He wasn't going to let those doubts be obvious, though.
Asriel didn't notice it. He believed the Entity's words. His eyes brightened up, that was a pretty optimistic perspective! "Can you really do that?"
I can! Trust me, Asriel. In a timeline, everyone will be alive.
"And when it's done, you'll enter it?"
The Entity's cheerful grin faltered for a moment, but he recovered before Asriel could start worrying.
Sure. I could try.
That was something he wasn't sure about. Maybe he could! But...appearing out of nowhere and inserting himself into a timeline...that could bring a lot of trouble. If getting erased destabilized a timeline to the point it'd cause alternate threads to be created, forcing himself to be in one wouldn't cause something similar? Asriel did notice the lack of sincerity in the Entity's reply. He was about to ask more about that when the Entity said something else.
It's time for you to go back.
I...I had fun. Being friends with you was one of the best things that could have happened to me.
I'm going to miss you.
Asriel didn't look at the Entity. He didn't doubt at all he was being honest about those grateful feelings, but Asriel felt that, if he looked at the Entity, he would try to stay longer with his doomed friend. "I'm glad I met you too" the monster replied "I'll miss you so much, Patta..."
No, you won't. Once you're inside the timeline you won't remember my existence. That's what happens when one is erased from reality.
So to make it worse, both Frisk and Asriel were going to forget all about Patta. Gaster would technically exist, thanks to his dust coating the golden thread, but Patta had been a human, not a monster. His essence wouldn't ever permeate the thread; he would be an outsider. Asriel opened his mouth to say something to that, to ask if there was anything he could do to not to forget Patta, but no sound emanated from his throat.
If there had been a possibility, he was sure the Entity would have said it already. There was nothing to be done. A tad discouraged, Asriel exhaled. "...I see. I don't want to forget, but...if there's no way to avoid it..."
There was nothing else to be said. Asriel and the Entity stood up and slowly floated over to the timeline. The Entity placed their hand on the right place, opening the rift necessary for Asriel to return.
I'll miss you. It was...it was fun to spend time with you. Have a good life, Asriel.
Asriel was already crying openly, unlike Frisk. While Frisk had tried to hold back tears, because they wanted to have a certain image of stoicism despite the situation, Asriel wanted to show how much this all was affecting him. "I-I-I hope you'll be okay, Patta! We'll always be friends, r-r-right?"
The Entity would have replied 'hard to be friends when you won't even remember I exist', but that wouldn't have helped in the slightest. Instead, they smiled as cheerfully as possible.
We will. Now get in there.
Remember there's something Frisk and you must do. Save our friends. Keep them safe.
And...and be happy. Live a long and happy life, that's the least you should do.
"I promise I will" Asriel showed a large smile, just like Frisk and Patta liked to see from him. There were so many things he wanted to tell Patta, so much encouragement to give, but he knew if he started he wouldn't get done for hours, because he'd refuse to leave until he had finished and thought a hundred new things to say. As much as it hurt, it was better to get done with the farewell.
The monster turned around and walked to the rift without looking back. The scenario changed from the blackness of the void to the yellow shine of the hallway near the throne room. Once he had reached the middle of the hall, Asriel stopped. "We're back. We really are back!"
'We have an hour, Azzy! Let's get going!'
"Right!" There was no time for standing around in disbelief. Their friends needed them. Asriel immediately started running towards the throne room, hoping to go through the Barrier and reach the bottom of the mountain before the group got there. He would save them. No, Frisk and he would save them. No doubt about that!
And there was something else she realized...he hadn't forgotten. He remembered Patta, he remembered how kind he had been with him. He also remembered Patta was isolated now, outside the universe and without a chance to return back. It wasn't all bad, though.
The mere fact Asriel could remember despite the Entity's grim prediction gave him hope. Feeling much more animated, Asriel ran faster.
At that same time, relatively far away, another Asriel, carrying a suitcase, crossed the portal into the void.
End of the timeline.
-ooooo-
The Entity closed the rift. The void was in complete silent. Not having a real body, he didn't even make sounds now, even the faint sound of static was gone. Without anyone else, he started feeling the enormity of his decision.
...well, at least he still had Gaster. Patta and Gaster started talking at the same time, just like usual.
"YOU THREW AWAY OUR CHANCE OF RETURNING TO THE UNIVERSE JUST FOR THE SAKE OF SENTIMENTALISM?" Gaster sounded more resigned than anything else. His emotions were dependent of Patta's SOUL, after all.
"I don't think it was sentimentalism, it was more because I want to have a chance to do something. Having my SOUL absorbed by Asriel would achieve nothing"
"AND WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO ACHIEVE? A PERFECT TIMELINE? THE ODDS ARE ASTRONOMICALLY LOW. I CAN ALMOST GUARANTEE IT'S IMPOSSIBLE"
"Well...I have an eternity to do it, don't I? Someday I'll achieve it" Was death even possible now?
"HOW LONG WILL YOUR DETERMINATION LAST YOU? THAT'S THE ONLY THING KEEPING YOU ALIVE. THE MOMENT THAT DETERMINATION IS GONE, YOUR SOUL WILL SHATTER AND YOU'LL DIE.
EVEN IF YOU FORM YOUR BODY AGAIN, A VOID IS NO PLACE TO LIVE IN. YOU'LL STARVE TO DEATH IN MATTER OF WEEKS, IF YOU DON'T DIE OF THIRST BEFORE THAT.
YOU'RE DOOMED"
"Then I better make good use of the time I have" If forming a physical and stable body meant sure death, then the Entity's best chance was to stay as he was now, as much as it bothered him. Besides, even before he could attempt to modify a timeline and turn it into the timeline where everyone would live happy lives, first the alternate timelines needed to start being possible.
It didn't take long. A few minutes after the short conversation with Gaster, a portion of the golden thread dimmed considerably. It tensed, the glow starting to fade away. Just like Gaster had said would happen, the timeline was attempting to heal itself, to account for Patta's erasure.
The golden thread snapped loudly at the point Patta started existing, leaving behind and intact the rest of the timeline. It had happened, there were two timelines...at least for now. Slowly, the old timeline started degrading, fading into nothingness.
"What...?"
"I TOLD YOU: "IF ASRIEL DOESN'T GET THROWN INTO THE PAST AND OVER THE SURFACE, THE PRESENT COULD STOP EXISTING"
"But I did that!"
"YOU DON'T GET THE POINT: THE PRESENT NEEDS THE PAST. IF THE PAST DOESN'T EXIST, THE PRESENT WON'T EITHER.
YOU HAVE BEEN ERASED FROM THE TIMELINE, THE PAST HAS BEEN CHANGED. WHAT'LL HAPPEN NOW TO THE PRESENT THAT HAD SPAWNED FROM THE FORMER PAST?"
The Entity gasped. Of course! What had Gaster said, back when they were discussing it? "My personal theory is that everything and everyone would stop existing, and since there's one single timeline in existence, it would mean the entirety of our reality would be completely and irreversibly obliterated".
It was actually happening. What now? How was he supposed to stop it? Without the past, the present didn't exist, and it wasn't like he could create the past again! The timeline continued breaking away as if it was candlewick in a lit candle, it wasn't going to be long before everything the Entity could see was destroyed and the rest of the future, extending into the infinity of the void, burned away too.
"There must be a way to stop this!"
"YOU CAN'T STOP IT"
"I have your knowledge, there must be something I could do!"
"PRESENT DOESN'T EXIST WITHOUT SOMETHING LEADING INTO IT"
Present doesn't exist without—what was that? The Entity froze for a moment, his mind giving him an idea that seemed both beneficial and harmful at once. There may be a way to keep at least a portion of the timeline existing...and a portion was better than nothing, right? Because if nothing was done, then there wouldn't be a timeline at all and, if the Entity had to be completely honest...
...he couldn't let go of his past now, even if it was going to be just a tiny part of it. The Entity created skeletal hands to aid in the task. His hands grasped the timeline, several weeks before the date Asriel appeared at the house over the surface, while the set of skeletal hands held onto the exact point Asriel had entered the void with the purpose of looking for Patta. "NNOWOW!!" Both sets of hands did the same action: snap the timeline.
The future started fading away too, but the Entity didn't pay attention to it. Instead, they focused with the thread he had in his hands now. It was around a foot long, nothing more, and in those thirty centimeters there were several weeks of life, including the days Asriel had been on the surface. Not having the rest of the timeline thread to support it, even that short piece of timeline started burning away, starting from the end the Entity's human-looking hands were holding.
There was no time for hesitation. Moving the other end of the portion, the Entity molded the thread until it formed a circle. It was going to require some precision to do it. The Entity observed, waiting for the right moment. As soon as the timeline neared the point Asriel literally appeared out of nowhere under the table in Patta's house, the Entity forced the ends of the timeline together. It wasn't entirely perfect – the timeline started several minutes before Asriel arrived to the house – but it seemed to be working!
"It's working...I think it'll work!"
"LOOK OVER THERE"
Gaster alerted Patta of several parts of the timeline that seemed much duller than the rest. It seemed that despite the Entity's efforts, the timeline was still unstable. Would those parts start degrading too, and it would all get destroyed? These five days were the last remains of the timeline, saving it was the last-ditch attempt to do something right. "TTHIHIS HAS STO WORHAS TO WKORK......"
The only way to fix it the Entity could think was using part of himself as a way to keep the timeline together. Focusing on isolating the parts of himself that represented his memories, the Entity gathered those fragments. He carefully applied those fragments onto the dull areas of the timeline, forcing those to permeate the thread. It was pretty much the only way he had of keeping together the timeline, although he had no idea of the consequences of applying his own memories onto the golden thread. Thankfully, no harmful consequences happened, the most that did was imbue several people with the need to follow certain actions, paradoxically causing the same strange glimpses of the future that had stumped Patta, Asriel and several others.
The Entity stared at the circular timeline, watching it attentively and ready to try to counter any further degradation. The timeline itself was a sorry sight, a thread coated in some areas with strange black and white fragments that looked like ants crawling in square formations, but...
...it was working! The degradation had stopped. The timeline had been saved! Sure, there were only five days...but there was nothing else that could be done. The Entity pretended to exhale loudly, feeling the most relieved he had ever felt in his life, and at the same time...he also felt a lot of sadness. The timeline's destruction had been one pile more onto the many things that had gone wrong.
All that remained of the original timeline...and of the world that had been his home...was a looping, anomalous timeline, only lasting five days.
The Entity grabbed it in his hand, staring at it with pity. Once again, things seemed to be bleak and almost hopeless, but unlike every other time, the Entity didn't feel his determination faltering.
"SO NOW WHAT?"
"...well I better get started, right?
That promise won't fulfill itself"
I don't know how long ago that was. I just know it has been a long time, and as you can see, there are thousands of timelines over our heads. When one doesn't need to sleep, or eat, or anything like that, one has a lot more time to work.
You know, I didn't expect Asriel nor anyone else to actually remember I existed. It was to be expected of Gaster, his dust is all over the timelines, but I didn't have such luck. If we were wrong about everyone forgetting about me, what else could we have been wrong about?
What if...these golden threads are no more than a way to look into the timelines, to modify them? What if the future exists and I merely can't see it? That'd mean everyone could have a good life. I believe they would have, Asriel, Frisk and those six would work very hard to make a great future happen. I'm sure they'd be successful! I like to think that's what happened, and that I just can't see it. It's kind of childish, but it...it makes me feel a bit better about everything
...but I can't stand around and hope for the best, which is why I'm working on creating the perfect timeline. Of course it hasn't been easy, and I'm not even close to being done.
A new timeline started growing, but something must have wrong with it when I got erased. It seemed similar to the one I came from, but people didn't survive, like I expected. Byssa went missing, and Celia followed her a year later, for reasons I don't understand yet. I didn't wait to see how longer the timeline went, I managed to get a new timeline growing.
Frisk and Celia often went to Mt. Ebott, getting killed by the Hermit. Sometimes Cohen and Ciruel went to the mountain, too. There was a particularly memorable timeline where Ananas was the one to go, apparently to try to apprehend the Hermit and avenge everyone who had gone missing.
When those timelines happened, I always tore apart the thread and let that timeline rot away, letting a new one grow. At some point I learned to make more than one timeline exist at the same time, so I started to experiment with different situations...
...it didn't make it any better. Asriel started dying too. I don't think there's a single timeline in existence right now where Asriel lives, except for the anomalous timeline. I...I started getting desperate, I started creating new timelines from even earlier away, changing more and more years. The further back I started modifying, the more extreme the changes were...
Asriel was born centuries earlier than the year I met him. My friends' ages got messed up, Celia turning into the oldest and Ananas into the youngest. Frisk started going to Mt. Ebott for reasons I'm not aware of. I guess constantly creating timelines and modifying them causes..."mutations" in the new ones. Gaster isn't sure what's going on with that.
One time I got the inspiration to change the Hermit's situation. He just had to get a little further in that cave and fall down into the Underground, and that somehow changed a lot of things for the better. Both Asriel and the Her...Chara seemed happy, at least until they...well, you know what happened.
It could be said my attempts so far haven't really made anything better, though, but I'm not giving up. Every time I feel my determination waning even slightly, I watch those five days again and I remember why I'm doing all this...
...it's not for me. It's for them.
I'm not giving up. No matter how long it takes, I'll keep going.
And once I'm done...I'll be able to rest.
I'll be free.
END
...well, not really. It IS the end of the story, however...
...there's one huge plotline still yet to be resolved, isn't there? So there's one last chapter left.