He was sparing her…

She didn't understand…

Why was he sparing her?

This world was 'Kill or be killed'. That's what everything up to this point had shown her. No matter the monster, they all attacked her. She'd check their stats first; give them a chance to walk away. But, they always attacked. So, why wasn't he?

Light looked up at the skeleton in front of her. He was wearing the biggest smile she'd ever seen, like he wasn't staring down a girl whose hands were caked in dust. His tattered orange scarf was blowing out in the wind that whipped at Light's exposed skin. He was standing there, with his arms wide open.

She looked back down at the battle screen. What would happen if she chose that option again?

With a shaky hand, she sent her will into the ACT button. The stats of the skeleton 'Papyrus', listed on the black screen, and then was followed by that confusing message again.

'Papyrus is sparing you.'

Light felt her heart speed up. She was vaguely aware of Kira saying something next to her, but she couldn't hear it over the sound of her own thundering heart. She sent her will into the command a third time… then a fourth… fifth… Still that message played.

'Papyrus is sparing you.'

She trembled. She didn't understand. Why was he sparing her? She felt as if her heart was being torn out of her chest. The memory of all the monsters that had met their ends by her hands ran through her mind. She remembered Kira's words.

'They attacked you, Light. That's not murder, that's self-defence.'

What would happen if she spared him too?

If she just dropped the knife in her hand, and ran to him?

Would he still show her mercy?

Would he hug her and tell her everything was going to be okay?

She could hear Kira's voice now. It was insistent, right next to her ear, demanding her attention. His voice was full of the concern she'd come to almost expect from her older brother. He was insisting that the skeleton was lying to her. That it was a trick to get her guard down. That he'd kill her if she didn't defend herself. She'd already experienced dying a few times before. She didn't like it very much…

Her eyes flicked between the FIGHT and MERCY buttons. Dare she risk it? If she was wrong, she'd be leaving herself wide open for an attack. But, what if she wasn't, and she used FIGHT anyway… This wasn't self-defence; it was murder, plain and simple. Her eyes locked on the MERCY button. She could at least try…

'Kira…' Light thought softly. 'You know what I'm thinking… Don't you?'

'Light…' he replied firmly. 'Don't be foolish. He'll hurt you. He'll kill you. That's all these monsters want to do.'

'I know it's a long shot…' Light thought sadly. 'But…' Her hand hovered over the button. 'I need to at least try. I need to know… if there's really another way.'

'You idiot…'

Confusion shot through her. She had never heard that harsh, icy cold tone from Kira before. It didn't fit the warm, loving, fretful brother she'd come to know. Shock paralysed her for a split second, before she felt herself being push… right out of her body.

She gasped as she felt herself float for a few seconds, before she turned to look back to Papyrus. A scream bubbled at the back of her throat as she watch, helplessly, as Kira sliced the knife right through the skeleton's spinal cord. She sunk down to the ground, unable to tare her eyes away from the skull still lying in the snow. Tears stung at her eyes, blurring her vision as he spoke.

"Still… I believe in you." Papyrus affirmed. "You can do a little better, even if you don't think so. I… promise…"

There was a long moment of silence, only broken by the howling wind. Until, Light finally spoke, her voice broken with sorrow and betrayal.

"I was all a lie… You've been lying to me this whole time…" Tears streamed down her face as she stared brokenly at the dust on her hands. "We had a choice… I always had a choice!"

"Now, now, little sister," Kira tutted. "There's no place for monsters in our world. Why do you think they were sealed underground in the first place?"

"Over a thousand years ago!" She shouted, refusing to look at the one person she thought she could believe in. "Generations have come and gone! No one here has probably even seen the surface in their life! Papyrus… He didn't do anything! He tried to help us, Kira! Why?! Why wouldn't you let me try?!"

"Oh, Light." Kira sighed. Kneeling down in front of her, he put a finger under her chin, forcing her head up to look at him. He smiled a cold, cruel smile she'd never seen before. "Don't act as if you're any different."

Light stared up at him, unable to speak.

"You killed all those monsters yourself, you know. I just gave you a little encouragement." His smile widened. "Face it, Light. Your SOUL is every bit as tainted as mine."

She knew he was right. She'd cause all that suffering of her own accord. She was the one that had ended all those lives. She was rotten, right down to her core. As Kira released her chin, her head fell to her chest. She never noticed the ghostly figure watching from behind the line of trees, eyes glowing slightly as they watched the girl's max HP plummet.

"Light… has lost all HOPE."