I grip the white arch-bench, shaking as the clone's memories confirm my worst fears of what Frisk did to me. Ryujen calmly takes the news that Frisk also faked her vid to hide the Voidglitch.
Berrin goes on as usual. "The suspected clone has been very cooperative with us and shows deep remorse for its crimes. It has asked to apologize to you but makes very strange claims on Frisk's full motives. The clone also has a memory filter similar to what Frisk put in you but patched up, and our team is working to find and exploit a new flaw."
Could I ever forgive Frisk for this? And is a clone guilty of the crimes too? Nevermind. "What did Frisk do after you told her about the clone?"
Berrin glances worriedly. "She fled to the Clone's starting point deep in the History Club's simu-data. Our search crawlers found none of her but found a worm using spread function code from the worm-RAT hybrid she used on your ship. We don't know where Frisk went or how it relates to this worm."
Save yourself, little one.
What? Voidglitch talking to me now?
It goes on stiffly, as if in painful struggle. Don't worry about me. I've ciphered my own controls so only I may change reality at will. An intruder with my substrate would take about 143.75 hours to access my full powers. The virus-
Stop faking. I'm not fooled.
It's not like Frisk could ever hack that beyond-machine, could she? I still have to mention it. "Remember I also gave her access to Nullity's Gate. Maybe that's where she went?"
"We'll look into that. Would you like us to alert the media?"
I think about it. The world should know. Frisk should have to come clean about this. "Yes. Publish all you can. What did Frisk want?"
"According to our clone's memories, Frisk built the worm to infect and control the Voidglitch. She found the world impure. With its tech she plans to trap time in a closed 24-hour loop of the Under Days, destroy all possible futures, then destroy the Voidglitch itself. Its veracity is very low as major parts counter known scientific records."
Ryujen gasps. "You have to tell everyone."
Turn back time. Berrin, Jordina, Ryujen, all of this would've never happened. And what of me and my high-tech second chance at life? I can save the timelines with Hyper Goner if only I had enough magic to use it. I think of that Granting trick Toriel had told me. Yes, I could do that if only enough people found cause to lend me their SOUL power. This Frisk threat should give trillions that cause. "Publish it all. Don't forget Frisk's plan."
Berrin: "Got that. Copy to all teams."
I set a timer to the 143 hours, 27 minutes we have left. "Sparky, Frisk's-"
She returns in a puff of white sparks. "Invaded the Makers to use their machines, I heard. I could help you. Sure you don't want a few SOUL augments to enhance your magic?"
"Only if my first plan doesn't work."
Sparky: "I'm not sure even all our SOULs and augments can oppose the Maker's machines. Just asking for the odd chance."
I twirl a Chaos Saber for hand practice. "Everything's an odd chance."
Sparky: "Your CLOUD has far more magic and DT than we yet know how to build into a single SOUL. Maybe enough to stop her. If only you can gather it all in the right shape." she fades out.
Vista News Live: Suspected Clone Accuses Celebrity Frisk of Memory Tampering, Attempted Murder
(blogs/rant): Anti-Frisk media hoax? Read below. #FriskIsInnocent #DeepState #StopTheStream
x_LancingSw0rds_x: This is so stupid. There's no Voidglitch. Frisk should sue @VistaNewsOfficial for knowingly aiding Fake Info. #BoycottVista #WakeUp
Max_AzzyGang: Frisk is a pacifist hero -_-. She'd never do such heinous crimes. #StandWithFrisk #FakeInfoAct #BoycottVista
Tyrazerg420: Another Scone lies * up to not get baked. @VistaNewsOfficial #StopTheStream before that fake Frisk breaks your credit even more.
This case needs help. I start a livestream. "Hello everyone, this is Asriel Dreemurr. I'm here with Ryujen Fangmoon. Looks like we survived the ship. As you might've heard I did in fact have a memory filter taken out and found a bug in our ship."
Few likes. A comment that I'm a staged actor the clone hired for lewd reasons.
"If you doubt this, have the media come over to judge my story."
News icons pop up, asking for access: Daily Delta, Xenon-Neon Live, FNN, Romero Times, MTT News, Chraude Weekly, Wodsinn Sun, and more. I allow all of them, watching all those reporters greet me at once as I show on their feeds. My mind races for what I should say to the maybe trillions watching me now.
Verdana Gothic of Galactic Daily: "Nice to see you, Asriel. Do you know whether this Frisk did any crimes against you?"
A trap of phrasing? "To all evidence I've seen, I was there and I testify Frisk did these crimes."
Verdana turns a feed to Berrin: "The Clone still had a memory filter. Do you think these crime memories might've been faked?"
Berrin: "No. It'd be very hard to flawlessly stage that much content even with our best tools. The alleged crimes also match up to our evidence such as this GearsRat tool and Ryujen fake vid. We'll only know for sure once we find the right bug and take the filter off Frisk."
Kray Box of Chraude Weekly: "Wait, did you just call an illegal clone the real Frisk?"
Berrin: "In theory she could legally claim Frisk's person if she was her only living copy. But I doubt that's the case right now."
Kray pulls up a sorrowful clone-Frisk as he gets back to me. " Asriel, do you consider this thing Frisk? Anything to tell it?"
Clone-Frisk looks up and sobs, unable to meet my gaze: "I tried to get rid of you, Asriel. I thought this world was a mistake and you'd like my plan. Don't hurt yourself with me."
2 Frisks. One I must stop at all costs, and one standing before me. Much as I hate what she did, I don't want to lose the friend who rescued me from that soulless prison. "They're both Frisk. Frisk, I thank you for giving me a second chance at life and teaching me who I am. You can be so much more than a stupid old plan if you choose."
Frisk glares at me through virtual tears. "I tried to kill you when I was done. What has you think I'd do anything good for you?"
Only one Frisk left for me, one last chance to save her. "Haven't you like, tried being a good person? Actually you did that once and freed us all."
Frisk stops crying. "I hated this result so much I used you to try and undo it all. What makes you think I'll do that again?"
I grin, knowing what to say. "What'll come from doing the bad thing? I know exactly what, and it's never cool. Let's do the good thing together and show how much better you are than well, that other Frisk."
Jackbloox of MTT News: "We didn't give you time to show your redemption arc. Our ratings just went up by 620% because of that."
Frisk: "If we're a team, we need a new name for that jerk inside the Voidglitch. How about First Frisk?"
Ratings, Jackbloox said. I have a better name. "We need more rule of cool here. Really stick with everyone. How about Frisk Prime?"
Frisk smiles, clapping. "Frisk Prime, as in alien robot. I like it."
Verdana: "What exactly will you 2 do about the alleged Voidglitch hack?"
Hyper Goner. Save timelines. "Can I make a request to all your viewers?"
Verdana leans back. "Yes. Go ahead." Other reporters join in agreement. Only 2 blink out.
Now's the hard part. "I want all of you to know my name again: Asriel Dreemurr. The very Asriel Dreemurr who told you through Nullity's Gate. Please keep this and share. If Frisk Prime wins, everything and everyone we know will be gone. All inventions, all lives, all hard-fought gains. But we all have the power to stop her right now. In 6 Earth-days I'll need you all to grant me your SOUL's magic and DT such I may defeat Frisk Prime. Be ready."
Jackbloox: "Every SOUL at once has never been done before. You're gonna crash the CLOUD and kill trillions."
Verdana: "CLOUD protocols have been designed for traffic spikes, but we'll need a whole new one this time."
Harris Kojima of Galactic Post: "Why should we trust you with this fight? We'll have the Delta Military confirm this and maybe guide a couple planet-grade Mana Fusion shafts through Nullity's Gate. Whatever kicks the Frisk Prime out of there."
"How long will that take?"
Harris: From what we know, a few days of intel first. We'll have a good idea what can kill Frisk Prime, and only if the stakes are true will those planet breakers OK."
I send all news outlets my timer: 142 hours, 51 minutes, 32 seconds left. "This is about how much time we have before Frisk Prime wins. 6 days if we do nothing. And I'm not sure if even planet-grade can take out Frisk Prime."
C-62.1 of Business Press Live: "Why should we trust you of all people to do this?"
Easy. "I've fought this Frisk personally. I know her, how she fights. And I know a spell that can save the timeline."
C-62.1: "How'd you get the main public on board in this little time? And will this protocol be up in time to catch your load?"
My strategic grin. "Wanna bet?"
Harris blinks hard. "Sumimasen, Dreemurr-san. Didn't want to impede you one bit. It's a big thing to save the world."
I stand forward for the whole world to see. "Again, this is Asriel Dreemurr. Reporters, show this to your viewers if you wish. I only ask you all to be ready to grant your SOULs at my say so we can all save the timeline from Frisk Prime. Do only what you feel is right." I end my livestream.
Cakes4tKnight: We didn't all struggle this far just for some celebrity crazy to decide how we should all live. #JoinAsriel #TeamAsriel #StopFriskPrime #OurFuture
Anime_Socks: @Cakes4tKnight * off. I never saw my dad after the Slaughter-Creed took my system. Almost died there myself. Now Azzy wants to destroy our only chance to make it right just for tech and dreams. #FriskPrimeSavesAll #LeaveAsriel #TeamRestart
Pizzatosis13: Why does this Asriel want so much power right now? #FriskPrimeHoax
Hazbin_Templin: My birthday's in 2 weeks TwT. Meet me for one last stream of Jevaari Star 3 before it's all over. Gonna try out this #JoinAsriel challenge soon ;)
OwO What's Trending?: 20 Dank AF #JoinAsriel Memes That'll Make Your Day And Save Your World
A holo-call. Jordina waves to me from within her swarm of holos. "I saw your show. Our whole team just started on this new CLOUD protocol. In 2 days or so we'll update every link relay to safely handle your traffic surge. That part will take seconds."
Faster than Frisk Prime can crack the Voidglitch's deceits, I think. "So the CLOUD won't crash when everyone does the SOUL thing?"
Jordina spins a fresh wave of holos showing a web of lines and dots. "Slick as a hawk. No crash. Now let me test this network code." she logs off.
Ryujen nuzzles my arm. "We should both follow this trend as it happens. I'll call up help." Holos bloom up to track support levels and trending tags in real time.
I spin a map of how many are liking or hating my cause across the CLOUD. Mostly likes with a few hater nodes. "When should I ask them all to grant?"
Ryujen: "Wait for the protocol to go live. The rest is your choice."
Dreemurr History Club Celebrates Return of Long-Lost Human "Chara": Dreemurr Family Happy Despite Ongoing Frisk Prime Scandal
Chara's a public figure now? Bonus. I call her. "Since you're in the spotlight, can you make good of your new platform?"
Chara winks, getting what I mean. "Got it. Save the world when you're ready. I'll get the rest of the History Club on our side."
