Didn't take as long to update. Nothing much to say, so enjoy!
"you gotta be kidding me, right?" - Sans asked, shocked by what Papyrus and Frisk just told him.
The couple in fact explained Sans in details what happened during the night. Sans was shocked to learn that Noelle's SOUL was trapped inside a revived Asriel. He was obviously worried sick for his niece. But he was also on the edge to be pissed off because Papyrus and Frisk actually allowed Gaster to make some tests on "Asrielle". (Even in a moment like this, Sans found a way to mentally name the fusion.)
"do you realize you're allowing the guy who tortured us for god knows how long to study our girl's soul?" - he remarked as his eyesockets turned all dark.
"I KNOW HE DID DANGEROUS SCIENCE-RELATED THINGS BEFORE..." - Papyrus stated as he winced a bit a the bad memories - "BUT HE'S ALSO OUR ONLY CHANCE TO SAVE NOELLE AND ASRIEL, WITHOUT NEEDING TO SACRIFICE ANYBODY!"
"If Noelle trusts him, I think we should do the same." - Frisk added.
"noelle doesn't fully understand what she's agreeing to..!" - Sans protested.
"SHE'S NOT A CHILD, SANS." - Papyrus protested - "NOELLE SURELY HAD GOOD REASONS TO TRUST GASTER. AND I ALWAYS WILL TRUST MY OWN DAUGHTER'S JUDGEMENT!"
"Papyrus' right. Let's give it a chance, Sans." - Frisk requested gently - "We don't have dozens of options anyway. We must explore the possibility to keep Asriel alive too, for the sake of Asgore and Toriel."
Sans sighed, closing his eyes. Frisk had a point. Despite his hate for Gaster, he had to think about the royal couple's best interests too. Toriel had been a very good and funny friend, and Asgore took good care of him and Papyrus after they've been discovered in the lab. Sans had already put his hatred for Gaster prior his family once; he couldn't make that same mistake again.
"...fine. i will let gaster study noelle's soul. but it doesn't mean i trust him. i'm doing this just for the sake of our family."
"YOU'LL SEE, EVERYTHING'S GOING TO BE OKAY. YOU WON'T REGRET THIS." - Papyrus said, confident.
"i'm not so sure about it, but i'm not in the mood to argue." - Sans replied with a tired shrug.
Papyrus and Frisk got relieved that convincing Sans went better than they anticipated. Sans surely didn't trust Gaster, but his trust wasn't necessary. What mattered was that Noelle trusted him.
Later that day, Toriel, Asgore, Frisk, Papyrus, Sans and Asriel were all at Gaster's house. The former scientist had already set up some material and was preparing a syringe. Asriel was sitting on a chair right next to Noelle's body, slightly fidgetting in nervousness. As he gave a look in the direction of the lifeless woman, he heard Noelle's voice say in his head:
"It's so strange to see myself from a third point of view… It's makes me fully realize that I'm almost dead."
"But you aren't. In any case, you'll get your body back." - Asriel reminded her gently - "If anything, uncertainity's hanging over me only."
"Alright." - Gaster said as the syringe was ready - "What I'll have to do now is to extract some of Noelle's SOUL essence. I have a few theories about it, but I must do a proper study to figure out its properties and what shall the next steps be, including the solution to prevent Asriel's revertion to his flower state."
"WOULDN'T TAKE SOME ESSENCE AFFECT NOELLE OR ASRIEL IN ANY WAY?" - Papyrus asked with a worried expression - "I MEAN, IF THAT ESSENCE IS WHAT KEEPS THEM BOTH ALIVE…"
"The quantity I'm about to take is too small, so it shouldn't." - Gaster answered.
"it 'shouldn't'? as in, you're not sure?" - Sans asked with a wary look.
"There is no zero percent risk, Sans." - Gaster said with a sigh - "But we'll never figure anything out if we don't get a closer look at the SOUL essence."
"and you're sure that quantity's the strict necessary?" - Sans inquired, before his eyes darkened - "you're not making stocks for your scientific curiousity, are you?"
"No, I am not. Now, if you could just let me do things properly?" - Gaster requested, getting a bit irritated.
"sure. but if you do something suspicious, i tell you'll regret it." - Sans said with a dangerous tone, as his left eye started to glow blue.
"Whatever." - Gaster ignored the threat, then turned to Asriel - "Are you two ready? You'll both experience discomfort from this."
"It won't be the worst to happen, I suppose." - Noelle commented in Asriel's head.
"Yeah, we're… we're both ready." - Asriel said with a hint of nervousness.
Gaster nodded, then magically summon the pink SOUL out of Asriel's chest. After a moment, the scientist carefully inserted the needle on the side of the glowing heart, which made Asriel wince. Gaster looked at Asriel, who slightly nodded, allowing him to continue. Gaster started to drain some of the SOUL substance, and Noelle's voice spoke up in Asriel's head once more:
"Ghnn… That pressure… I feel weird…"
Asriel, at that same time, clenched his fists and let out a moan. The next moment he started to shudder. Toriel and Frisk walked up to him and they gently grabbed his arms.
"Asriel, are you okay?" - Frisk asked with concern.
"Hold on, dear." - Toriel said gently - "It's almost over."
"Done." - Gaster said as he removed the syringe from the SOUL, then said to Toriel - "Could you perhaps use your Healing magic on that spot? To avoid all risks."
Toriel nodded and within a second healed the part where Gaster pierced with the needle. After that, Noelle's SOUL went back inside Asriel's body, who let out a alleviated sigh.
"How are you feeling? And how's Noelle feeling?" - Frisk asked to Asriel.
"We're okay... I think." - he replied - "Yeah, we're both alright."
"didn't he take a bit too much though?" - Sans asked, still eyeing Gaster warily.
Gaster just ignored the (obviously rhetorical) question. Asgore asked on his turn:
"How long shall it take you to study Noelle's SOUL, Gaster?"
"Hmm… A couple of hours, probably." - Gaster answered, before suggesting - "Maybe you all should go back home and I'll report you my observations once I'm done."
"no way i'm moving from here." - Sans shook his skull - "i don't trust his science."
"SANS! HE'S ALREADY TAKEN THE SAMPLE HE NEEDED. HOW DO YOU EXPECT HIM TO HURT NOELLE NOW?" - Papyrus pointed out.
"Papyrus' right. He'll just do and record observations… correct?" - Frisk said, turning to Gaster.
"That's right." - Gaster replied with a nod - "For now, I have all I need to do only harmless science."
"Alright, I think it's better for us to meantime get distracted anyway." - Asgore then said - "Gaster also needs proper concentration."
"That's also correct, Your Majesty."
The group then headed the front door. After Gaster opened it, they all went out one by one, except for Asriel. He was hesitating. Gaster gave him a curious look and Toriel slightly tilted her head, asking:
"Something's wrong, Asriel?"
"I'm fine, Mom... I just… prefer to wait here in the meantime." - Asriel answered.
"Why? Waiting here will only make you feel more anxious." - Asgore stated - "Don't you prefer to wait at home, in your good old room..?"
"It would be nice, but… Noelle's more comfortable to wait here."
Gaster crooked an eyebrow in curiousity.
"...Oh. Well, I suppose we can't go against her wishes, then." - Asgore said after a short moment.
"We'll see you later then, Asriel." - Toriel said on her turn.
"See you later, Mom, Dad." - Asriel replied.
Asriel's parents then walked away, while Frisk and Papyrus didn't. Without saying a word, they walked up to Asriel. Papyrus then gently grabbed Asriel's forearm and after a pause, said:
"I... I WISH WE COULD PROPERLY TALK TO EACH OTHER, NOELLE. YOU SURELY DON'T FEEL VERY GREAT NOW... SO, I WANTED TO TELL YOU THAT IT'LL BE ALL OKAY. JUST… BELIEVE IN IT."
"Even if we can't interact for real, keep in mind that we're with you." - Frisk said on her turn - "Stay determined, Noelle. ...Ha ha, I'm talking like Dad now… It just pains me I can't help you in any way… or even just hold you."
"Oh dear… And it pains me to see you two like this…" - Noelle's voice said inside Asriel's head - "I wish I could reassure you in return… You seem to need more comfort than I do."
"Noelle feels sorry for you, guys." - Asriel said to the couple.
"Asriel!" - Noelle gasped.
"OH? SHE SAID SOMETHING IN YOUR HEAD?" - Papyrus asked curiously.
"Yes. She doesn't like to see you sad about her… and she wants you to know she's okay." - Asriel informed - "...Well, relatively."
"Noelle cares about our feelings more than about her own… She got it from Papyrus." - Frisk smiled a bit - "Thank you for letting us know what she says. It means a lot to us… And keep your head up too, Asriel!"
"RIGHT! WE SAID WE'RE HERE FOR NOELLE, BUT WE'RE HERE FOR YOU TOO, IF YOU NEED US!"
"Th-thanks, guys... I appreciate your empathy, even though I don't deserve it from either of you." - Asriel said, with a shameful look.
"Nonsense. Family supports no matter what." - Frisk said as she patted Asriel's shoulder a little - "Alright, we shall go now. Let us know whenever there are news."
"I'll be the first one to inform you anyway." - Gaster said from the porch of his house - "Now, could you please go? If I keep the door open any longer, my house will freeze. I don't need my children to catch a cold."
"Right, sorry Dr Gaster." - Frisk replied - "Take care, Asriel. You too, Noelle."
"BUT YOU CAN ALWAYS GIVE US A CALL IF EITHER OF YOU FEEL DOWN!" - Papyrus added.
"What did I just say? Just go already..!" - Gaster sighed, with an annoyed look on his face.
"FINE, FINE!"
The couple then waved one last time when then exited the house, before Gaster closed and locked the door. The doctor then turned to Asriel and said:
"Alright, Asriel. You can either wait in the living room, or follow me in my study. Just please don't distract me while I study the SOUL."
"I'll come with you." - Asriel said - "Could you maybe give me a book then, please?"
"Sure. Books aren't what's missing in this house. You can read anything you like."
The two men then walked in the study, where Gaster had his working desk, a big bookcase and of course, a microscope. That was what the scientist needed to study the SOUL essence sample. As he was preparing his device, Asriel started to look across the bookcase, looking for something interesting to read. His attention was more directed to books for youth, though.
"Really, Asriel? Don't you want to read something more… mature?" - Noelle commented.
"I died when I was a child. So, it's normal my tastes revolve this kind of literature." - Asriel reminded, before adding - "Besides, it's not because you're a grown up that you can't enjoy youth literature!"
"Chill out, I didn't want to offend you."
"What kind of books do you read, anyway?" - Asriel asked curiously.
"Hmm… I read many things, actually. Novels are my favourite, of course. But I also like reading and learning about geography, psychology, astronomy,..." - Noelle replied thoughtfully - "Oh! Gaster has a book about minerals!"
"You're actually interested by this stuff?" - Asriel asked, sounding dumbfounded - "But it's useless!"
"Nothing's useless as long as you give it some interest."
"Okay, so what do you want me to pick to read anyway?"
"I don't know… Hm, I wonder if Gaster even has romance novels..?" - Noelle pondered curiously.
"No, you're not making me read romance!" - Asriel exclaimed, not too thrilled by the idea - "I doubt Uncle Gaster has this, anyway."
"'Uncle Gaster'..?"
"Oh, uh I that's how I called him… back then."
"So... he was really close to your family, huh..?" - Noelle asked.
"Yeah... I realize now my parents were literally everything to him… He regularily visited our house, and so he and I knew each other well." - Asriel smiled at his childhood memories - "True, Gaster's always been a busy person, very dedicated to his work. But he'd always bring me a gift for Gyftmas."
Asriel then didn't say anything more. Noelle understood that it was probably painful for Asriel to think about his innocent life and how it was abruptly interrupted. So, she decided to change the topic.
"I think this book over there looks interesting."
"Uh..?" - Asriel snapped out of his melancholy - "Science-Fiction, uh? Looks like a good plan."
So, Asriel took the book from the shelf and sat down on a small armchair in the corner and proceeded to read. A calm was ruling over the room, there was no noise, besides Gaster typing on his laptop. Asriel was luckily a quick reader, but Noelle figured out that she didn't even need to read along too, since she was hearing the goat monster's mental reading anyway. So, she "relaxed" in a way, as both of them were picturing the scenes from the book. At some point, Asriel dog-eared the page he decided to stop on and put the book aside. The sudden stop of reading session surprised Noelle, so she asked with a hint of disappointement:
"What? You stop already?"
"Sorry, not that much into it now..." - Asriel mumbled out loud without realizing.
"What did you say, Prince Asriel?" - Gaster asked, raising his head.
"Oh, just that... I'm done with reading for now." - Asriel replied - "Could I perhaps… borrow the book..? So I can finish it later?"
"Of course, you can. You can keep it as long as you want."
"S-sweet, thank you." - the prince replied a bit awkwardly, and after a silence he asked - "So, uh… are you discovering anything interesting about Noelle's SOUL?"
"Yes... The properties of her SOUL are very interesting so far… but it'll take time before I could figure out properly how those can be used to keep you in your true form." - Gaster replied - "Though, the way particles of magic and determination coexist in perfect harmony is just… fascinating..! I never thought I'd see it with my own eyes! I've studied SOULs, both of humans and monsters, and I've read in history records about hybrid beings, but never did I dream to have an opportunity to actually study one."
"He's really enjoying himself, huh?" - Noelle remarked, sounding annoyed by Gaster's excitement.
"Noelle doesn't seem to like how much you're happy to experiment on a part of her." - Asriel said.
"Asriel, stop that! I didn't ask you to-"
"Ugh..." - Gaster facepalmed with a sigh - "I'm... I'm sorry. Old habits are hardly erased, I guess… I'm a scientist by my whole being, so of course I get passionate when it comes to study new things. ...Even if it's the least appropriate."
The guilty look on Gaster's face made Noelle soften, her annoyance quickly gone.
"Noelle seems to forgive you." - Asriel informed.
"How do you know that? I didn't say anything…" - Noelle asked, surprised.
"With your SOUL inside, I can feel your emotions too." - Asriel mentally replied.
"The fact she forgives that easily makes things even worse..." - Gaster commented - "Just like it was with her father, Papyrus."
"How so..?" - Asriel grew curious and confused.
"It's just that... I... I don't deserve to be forgiven by her..! Nor by anyone else that is…" - Gaster put his head between his hands - "I still don't understand why she's acting like this, when I..."
He stopped. He wasn't sure he could talk about it with Asriel, especially knowing that Noelle was basically listening the entire conversation. Asriel looked at him with sympathy, then sat down on the edge of the desk, looking down at his feet.
"I know exactly how you feel, you know. Because I've commited so many crimes that I doubt I'll ever deserve to be part of the family again… let alone just live as Asriel."
"Don't speak like that." - Gaster said firmly - "Your situation and mine are different. It's true that the level of atrocity might be similar, but my case is worse. Because unlike you, I had my right mind all along. I didn't go through a transformation that changed who I am. Well, I did change, but I suffered it from myself. You, however, changed due to external circumstances. Out of us two, you deserve the others' forgiveness more than I ever will."
"Or maybe, you're thinking too high of me?" - Asriel suggested.
Gaster didn't say anything. It was clear that it was because he disagreed with Asriel's position. Noelle couldn't help but wonder what troubled him so much. Why was it so difficult for Gaster to accept her forgiveness or sympathy? Asriel heard Noelle's question, but didn't dare to communicate it to Gaster. After a moment, Noelle said:
"You can ask him."
"Gaster... Noelle tries to understand why you almost refuse her forgiveness."
The question made Gaster uncomfortable. It wasn't a question he was ready to answer to. And he probably would never be. Asriel and Noelle could sense his discomfort. So, the young prince said:
"Noelle won't judge you."
"I doubt she'll think the same after I answer, but…" - Gaster then paused, before asking - "Asriel, do you remember your very first attempt to steal Noelle's SOUL?"
"...Of course. I could never forget that. It was… not a long time before the De-Code, when she was still a toddler."
"Wait... ...What? When exactly did this happen?" - Noelle exclaimed (since she obviously had no memory of that day).
Asriel ignored her question. Gaster asked again:
"So, you surely remember how you failed to get it."
"Y-yeah, a skeletal blaster appeared out of nowhere and attacked me, so I ran away. Sans has always been very protective of people he cares for." - Asriel replied - "But how do you know about-"
"It wasn't Sans who summoned that blaster. It was me."
"W-what…?" - Asriel's eyes rounded.
"What..?"
"That's right... I was there that day and I witnessed the whole thing." - Gaster said before letting out a sigh and pursuing - "When I saw you attack the very young and… fragile Noelle, for some odd reason I felt a rush to protect her. And so I did."
"He... Gaster actually... saved my life..?" - Noelle asked, sounding shocked.
"So... you saved Noelle from me that day. Isn't that a good thing though..?" - Asriel asked with a confused expression.
"No! I mean, yes it's good that I saved her… What's bad is what happened next." - Gaster then looked away before pursuing - "After you ran away Asriel, Noelle was crying alone, shaken by what happened and scared. Her parents were not around, she obviously needed comfort… And I was watching her from behind a corner. I just stood there and watched. I didn't have the… courage to walk to her and at least check if she was okay. Any other person would have, while I didn't."
"You weren't exactly in good terms with her family. You were preparing the De-Code anyway, weren't you?"
"That's the point..! I might have saved her that day, but I launched the De-Code months later and made her life miserable. I... I used the excuse of the De-Code to not move. I told myself 'What's the point to give her any comfort, considering what I'm about to do?'" - Gaster paused for a moment, before addressing directly to Noelle - "Noelle... The day you found out the truth about everything, you asked me if I ever hesistated… I answered you that I never did. But I shamelessly lied. Because when I was watching you after Flowey's attack, I was so tempted to approach you and… scratch my plans."
Another silence followed. Noelle felt moved, and so did Asriel. After a moment, Gaster looked at Asriel but quickly averted his gaze, as if trying to avoid Noelle's gaze. He spoke up again, with a quieter tone:
"Don't you see..? That day, I had my chance - a chance to do things right, to make the right choice. But once again, like many times in my life… I made the wrong one. I threw my chance out of the window. This is why I don't deserve forgiveness from you, Noelle."
"Oh my goodness, Gaster..." - Noelle said with a moved tone - "I had no idea you've been living with such a weight on your SOUL..! This must've been a torture."
"Noelle's filled with desolation for you." - Asriel said, sounding sad too.
"B-but why...?" - Gaster breathed out, as his eyes glowed red in agony - "Just... why? Didn't you get what I just said..? Aren't you angry at me..? You should be… You must be..! Because of me you grew up as an orphan… and it's because of me that you're now forced to share someone else's body..!"
Gaster started to rattle his bones. He tried to prevent the rattling, but failed. He was having another breakdown. Far to be as bad as the first one he had weeks ago in the True Lab, but still.
"Oh no, how can we help him..?" - Asriel asked to Noelle - "What would you do now?"
"Um... I think I know the right words to say." - Noelle said pensively - "It could be as much a success as a failure… but it's worth a try."
"Gaster... Noelle has something to tell you." - Asriel said out loud.
Gaster looked up at the prince, meeting a sorry expression. Asriel laid his paw on the skeleton's forearm, which made him wince. Asriel knelt down to be more at Gaster's level and spoke.
"Noelle says that we all do wrong choices in life." - Asriel spoke up the words Noelle was telling him in his head - "But not only bad things can emerge from those choices. Amid all the negative effects of your actions, there's still something good that came out of it."
"I'm curious to know what it is…" - Gaster let out a sad chuckle.
Asriel smiled a little as he heard Noelle's answer, before telling it to Gaster:
"Thanks to the De-Code, Sam and Piper could be born. Otherwise, neither she or you would've known the happiness the twins provide."
"Ha... She's… she's actually right…!" - Gaster finally smiled a little.
A single tear fell down his cheek though. But Gaster hurried to wipe it away with his sleeve. Asriel gave his "uncle" a look of sympathy, then he added:
"Noelle wants you to try forgive yourself. And just enjoy all the good that's offered to you, already! Those are her exact words."
"Yeah... I still don't understand how she does to be so forgiving… it's most likely just hereditary… But I guess I can try." - Gaster replied with a light nod.
"Good." - Asriel smiled genuinely, yet a bit childishly.
"Thank you Noelle... and to you too, Prince Asriel." - Gaster then said.
"Um... Could you perhaps not call me 'prince'?" - Asriel requested - "I know that it's what I am, but... after everything that happened to both of us, I think it'll be more comfortable if we talked as equals."
"If that's what you prefer, Asriel."
Gaster then decided to resume his research about hybrid SOUL properties and Asriel decided to go have a walk around the house meantiime. He was hiding in the Underground or in the streets of Monster Village for a long while now, he wanted to see new places and scenaries for a change. Asriel was walking in the house and studying the details. He noticed that most of the furniture was very new, since the house had been furnished very recently for Gaster to live there. But he could also see older things, that actually belonged to Gaster before the De-Code. (Like it was notably the case of many books in the study.) Asriel even saw a framed photo of Gaster, Asgore and Toriel on a shelf. "Wow, they really meant a lot to him…" - Noelle commented as she looked at the photo - "And he looks… so much more innocent here. Oh, and isn't that Papyrus' scarf he's wearing?"
"Yeah, it's the same scarf." - Asriel chuckled - "And I agree that he looks more innocent and… nicer."
"I wonder what changed him."
"I think... He changed after my and Chara's death, actually." - Asriel lowered his head in sadness - "Mom left and locked herslef in the Ruins, making Gaster eventually think she was dead. And Dad declared war on humanity, swearing to become godlike. So, Gaster feared to lose the last 'family' he had and that's why he started his illegal experiments."
"That's... that's a tragic story..." - Noelle replied sadly.
"Wh-what the heck you're doing here?!" - a voice suddenly got heard.
Asriel blenched and turned around in the direction of the stairs. His eyes widened as he saw Sam and Piper standing there, with confused and maybe a little scared looks. Noelle felt a rush of love fill her as she saw them, but then the sight of their faces upset her. Both kids had dark circles under their eyes and there were faint tear stains on their cheeks. Piper had a more sad and nervous look, while Sam's one reflected anger. His stare was basically piercing Asriel. Sam finally spoke, hissing beween his teeth:
"You... you dirty mother killer..."
A/N: Even though it's with Noelle around that Gaster has breakdowns, paradoxally she's progressively healing him. Noelle seems to have an inborn gift to somehow reach Gaster through his walls. She's basically like a therapy for him, but more effective (and cheaper, lol).
And Gaster's actually referring to the flashback shown in the last chapter of the first arc. (chapter 18)
And suspense! More exciting things are to come in the next chapter, notably an insight to Asriel's childhood. (Remember, Noelle's still supposed to visit the depths of his mind, like I promised.) And of course, potentially a solution (or not?) to keep both Noelle and Asriel alive.