Unmei Force Shattered Heroes: X-Changed Will
Prologue: The Cover
Entry Number 0, Timeline Number 0
My name… is Richard… Richard Liu…
And I am lost… in a world where I have no memories of how I arrived here…
All I can remember… is the sensation of drifting away…
Who...or what summoned me here?
And why… Why do I feel like I lost something upon awakening…?
…
It doesn't matter. I need to find my friends… They must be worried.
The moment that Richard came awake, his eyes snapped open, as there was nothing but the bright white sky above him, as the light pierced them, causing them to sting slightly, as if his eyes were strained after being unconscious so long.
He slowly blinked the light away, until the pain dulled down to a bearable ache, as he slowly looked around, checking the area around him. He found himself in a gray-scale world, as the soft lush grass he was lying on was grey, and there were countless trees around him.
When he turned his eyes to himself, he found that he was in torn clothes, as there were slash marks everywhere, revealing the skin underneath. Thankfully, they were intact enough to give him protection from the elements decently, and they covered most of his body, only showing mild nudity to any who saw him.
He then pondered about what happened to him, as he tried to rack his head about what happened in his last moments. However… as he did so, his head ached slightly, and his mind scattered apart, as if trying to recall those memories became impossible for him at the moment.
'Odd… I never had to deal with amnesia before…' Richard though to himself. 'Perhaps I should do a quick check on how much I can remember. I don't feel like anything is missing… But I can only know if I can try to remember certain things.'
Richard slowly closed his eyes, as he let his mind drift to certain topics. He clearly remembered his friends, and his personal journeys with them in their respective worlds. He could clearly remember everything he did in Gensokyo, especially his most memorable moments. However, when he tried to recall the moment between his final year in Gensokyo, and leaving it, he found that his mind became blank… although when he tried to remember… he felt a cold chill down his spine, as if it was a repressed memory.
'Something tells me that I shouldn't think that far…' Richard warned himself with concern, before he then continued to let his mind gather thoughts.
He still clearly remembered most of his abilities, both physical and magic, which was a relief to him, considering that he was unaware of what dangers could lurk in this world. He could clearly remember how the Unmei Force was formed, and their journey outside of their reality… But somehow, he couldn't recall the adventures he had in this reality.
'Yet another gap in my memories… This should be important to me…' Richard stated. 'I doubt that this is some original world. There should certainly be something in my mental library that can tell me where I am…'
Richard then focused his attention to his more complex knowledge, his meta-knowledge of the fandoms belonging to the worlds he travelled through, giving him the advantage of pre-cognition and knowledge that aided him many times across his adventure. One instance, he recalled… that he managed to save King Garon from being replaced by Ananko's imposter, giving Corrin a father figure she truly deserved in her childhood. He could remember most of the fandoms he took interest in. However, when he tried to make a connection to 'Undertale', which belonged to a name that he didn't hear about in a long time, he couldn't remember a single thing.
'Hm… I'm beginning to doubt that this is accidental amnesia. There must be an ulterior motive for why my memories are dissected so methodically.' Richard thought. 'So I should assume that this is the world of 'Undertale', or at least an alternate-universe iteration of it. But what good does knowing where I am does… if I have no knowledge? Then again, Yukari taught me that a good plan is made by learning your surroundings.'
Richard then slowly sat up, as he got onto his feet, as he surveyed the area around him, finding that there was nothing but grass and trees around him, which made him grumble.
"Well, time to do a bit of exploring." Richard remarked.
He then slowly walked across the entire field, as he walked and walked… Until he found someone in the distance, a figure from where Richard could see. Without any hesitation, he immediately rushed over, but not without keeping his senses alert, in case it was a trap for the curious.
When he closed the distance, he managed to get close to the figure, as it was a bald man with white skin, dressed in a black turtle-neck sweater, black pants and shoes, as his back was turned to Richard. As Richard got even closer, he noticed that the man was not a man at all, but actually a skeleton, although he was still sentient and moving.
"Excuse me…" Richard stated, as the skeletal man turned to him. "...May I please speak with you?"
"...Who are you? How did you arrive here?" The man asked, as Richard could see that he had white eyes with black sclera, and glasses were over his eyes, and there were lines across the vertical length of his face from his eyes, as there was shock in his expression, before his shock was directed to another thing. "...Wait, you don't look so well. Did you… arrive here by accident?"
"To be fair… I don't have a clue either. I'm missing a few memories, a few eggs short of a basket, so to speak." Richard rubbed the back of his head with a casual tone. "...So yeah, let's chalk it up as such. I'm not exactly hurt… But my robes are tattered, and I need a replacement for them... Considering that you're the only one in miles that I could find… I'm sorry to ask such a thing from you. I'll repay any favours for you, so long as they're not questionable."
"...I see." The skeletal man responded back, as he rose from his stump. He then reached a hand out, before a white lab-coat appeared in his hand, slightly intriguing Richard. "...Take this, it is the least I can do."
"Huh, interesting choice… Any particular reason you were giving me this suit?" Richard asked with a raised eyebrow. "And what's more… was that magic that you used?"
"So you do know of magic then?" The skeletal man responded back with his own intrigued expression.
"Of course. It's one of the talents that I have, so to speak." Richard answered back, as he put his hands out, letting his known elements dance on his palms. "I'm actually an elementalist, meaning that I can use pretty much every element known, so long as I know the proper combination of the base elements. That's not all I can do though, I have other talents as well, although I'll let you judge which ones you're interested in."
"Hm…" The skeletal man stated. "...Please change yourself, and maybe I might have something to ask of you after that."
"Oh, apologies. But still, you never did answer that question of mine… Nah, forget it, there must be nothing special, or it's just sentimental value for you." Richard shook his head, before walking behind a large stump to block the skeletal man's sight. "Please don't peek on me, I prefer my privacy."
The skeletal man merely waited, as Richard quickly dressed himself. When he was done, he came out, making final adjustments to the coat he was wearing, as it was snug on him.
"...A perfect fit on me. How did you make it like that?" Richard remarked, tugging the collar of his coat slightly.
"It was through observation and calculation." The skeletal man answered back. "I done so much of it, that this has become second-nature to me."
"Woah, another analyst? How intriguing. Hey, shoot me a hard question." Richard asked the skeletal man.
"What is 3987654346789 times 45678987332?" The skeletal man asked.
"Woah, big numbers there, pal." Richard commented with wide eyes, before smirking. "But I figured it out. 182152012391369465876948, that's your answer there."
"That didn't take long at all." The skeletal man hummed, impressed by Richard's fast response.
"It was a simple matter of cutting the laters and shuffling them back together with addition. My mind runs fast for most purposes, whether it be managing tactics, keeping an eye on the surroundings in battle, or doing calculations like this." Richard admitted. "Someone taught me to be like this. I only know a handful of people who can solve this quicker than me, and two of them are my tutors for this. Speaking of which, I bet that lab coat was for that reason, ain't I right, spooky skeleton man?"
"Please do not call me that. Call me Wingdings Gaster." Gaster introduced himself stoically. "And no, I choose the lab coat, because it is a part of clothing that I'm more suited to creating from nothing."
"Wingdings, huh? So you're named after a language of symbols." Richard remarked. "Not a bad name to have, Gaster. My name is Richard. Richard Liu. I'm what you call a traveller of the worlds. Unfortunately, I don't feel like that I'm ready to leave, since I'm missing some memories, and I feel like staying around here might let me remember. And then again, I've always ended up in worlds that need helping, whether I was willing or not. So who knows? Perhaps your dilemma is what needs to be fixed in this world."
"It seems so to me." Gaster answered back, before he then showed a purple glowing heart floating in his skeletal hand. "When I was brought into this world, I was given this SOUL, which gave me the power to shape the world around me. I have spent a long time experimenting with it, before I gave creation to this plain we find ourselves on. I even had a pair of children who were born here. I have spent a long time with them, although I feel like I've failed them, because all I can do is create what I know, nothing that is special and unique for them. I can feel their disappointment in me, and I strive to find a way to improve this world."
"SOUL?" Richard asked back. "Sorry, but I'm not familiar with the subject."
"The essence of one's being, so to speak. If it was to be destroyed… They would most certainly perish without any hope of survival." Gaster answered back. "It is also what fuels one's abilities, depending on their nature. Surely… you have a SOUL of your own, do you?"
"I'm… not sure. How do I show mine? And if it's as dangerous as you make it sound… How can I be sure nothing bad will happen if I show it to you?" Richard stated. "If you're honest enough to tell me this, then surely you won't have any bad intentions… but it never hurts to be careful."
"If you don't want to show it to me now, I won't press the matter." Gaster responded back with a slight shake of his head, withdrawing his SOUL. "But if you do change your mind… it is as simple as willing it into existence before you, with your hand outstretched."
'
"I'll keep that in mind." Richard nodded back.
"Since you're the only one who has come here for a long time, I would like to ask, if you could guide me to create something special and unique for this world…" Gaster requested. "...At this point, it's either someone helps me find this place… or I destroy myself with this place, and let my children free."
"Woah, woah, woah…" Richard answered back, taking a few steps back. "Now, you shouldn't go doing that. Nobody will be happy if you went and destroyed yourself. It's a bad way out of your current situation. You just need to keep trying. And if you want some help… you can count on me. Surely, it can't be that difficult to help you find something worth cherishing.
Richard then reached a hand out, with a friendly smile on his face.
"You're the god of this world, as long as you have the motivation and creativity, you'll make a world that is your own. So since you asked for my help, Wingdings Gaster… My answer is an eager yes." He declared with a hopeful tone.
Gaster looked at the hand, before he then made a faint smile,and took it.
"Thank you, Richard. Your help is gratefully appreciated." Gaster stated. "Now, I should teach you a few things… It's essential for what is going to happen next."
Richard nodded, before Gaster taught Richard about his basic duties, as well as a few utility spells, including the ability to create a digital log that only those who are permitted, can access.
Entry Number 1, Timeline Number 0
After I gained access to my log entries, I found that somehow… I must have created another one by sheer instinct.
When I looked back to it, it mostly matched up with the current situation I had.
So anyways, I found myself in a world of grey, and met the owner of this world, Wingdings Gaster.
He gave me clothes, and a duty to serve in this world. Perhaps working with him might bring more benefits, other than finally getting my memories back finally.
So after we met, we talked about what we're going to do next. It was a tough one.
You see, Gaster here isn't creative much, and that made his depressed, because he can't create something unique for his children without the proper motivation.
On the spot, we tried a few exercises, to test the extent of his power. Gaster seems to be able to create most elements of the world from scratch, both living and non-living beings, and almost all kinds of objects.
Although some experiments did manage to interest Gaster, none of them gave him what he was looking for. At least he got the building blocks for what he wanted. But the question is: How is he going to form them into something unique to him?
I don't know the answer, and that saddened Gaster.
And speaking of children… I got to meet them.
Chara and Frisk… They're the cutest children I have ever met, barring Heiwa of course. Just look at their adorable appearances, and their pure personalities.
I hope that nothing taints that, and Gaster's resolve to give them a better life.
Richard and Gaster soon met two children on the plain, as Gaster seemed to be fairly down from what happened before, while Richard gave him a sympathetic look. Eventually, Richard spotted the children, as they were both human boys, as one of them had ruffled short white hair and black eyes, dressed in a short white caped robe with black edges, black shorts and white boots, while the other had short ruffled black hair, had a white shirt with black shorts, white boots, and a grey scarf, as well as closed eyes. What was common between the both of them was the golden heart-lockets around their necks, and they had pale white skin like Gaster as well.
"Oh, are these the children you mentioned?" Richard asked Gaster.
"Indeed." Gaster stated. "Children. Meet Richard. Richard, meet Chara, the white-haired one, and Frisk, the black-haired one."
"Oh?" Richard remarked, before he then walked over to the two boys with a warm smile. "It's nice to meet you boys, Gaster seems to see you two quite dearly."
"Woah, so you're someone from outside!?" Chara asked with sparkling eyes and an excited expression. "Come on, tell us about what's out there!"
Richard merely smirked, before he then booped Chara on the nose with a finger, even saying the word, as Chara touched his nose with a confused expression.
"...In time, little one, in time." Richard answered back. "By the way, you look quite cute when you get excited like that. It makes me just want to tease you a little just to see how cute you'll be when you're confused or flustered."
Chara blushed slightly, as he tried to shy away from Richard, while Frisk gave a silent thumbs up to Richard, only to get his hair ruffled by Richard.
"Now, now. Just because you didn't talk, ain't mean you're invisible to me, pal." Richard slyly smirked to Frisk, who was trying to get Richard's hand off. "If your brother's going to have to suffer me, you're going to do so as well."
Frisk let out a few grunts, while Chara chuckled slightly. After a while, Richard stopped his teasing, withdrawing his hand from Frisk.
"Right, do you want to know a few things?"
"..Yeah." Frisk softly said.
"HECK YEAH!" Chara shouted with energy.
"Alright then, here's a little trick." Richard stated, before he then juggled a few kindling flames like juggling balls, as the two children were amazed by it. "Like it? In my world, this is a rare talent, one that can only be passed down by experts!"
The two children were too absorbed in Richard's performance, as Gaster watched Richard entertain the children, switching his acts up. Gaster himself felt a sense of warmth blossom in his heart, seeing that Richard was giving them something special to enjoy, although that warmth was drained by his self-loathing, when he realised that he couldn't properly make something unique for them.
He then slumped down on another stump, looking fairly down, as Richard stopped his act, walking over to Gaster.
"Hey, Gaster? You alright there?" Richard asked with some concern in his voice, as the children stood in front of him. "...Look, if all of this is making you sad, then you should take a rest from it. We always have tomorrow-"
"I am really sorry, my children." Gaster admitted, as he showed his SOUL in his open hand, looking down at it with sadness. "I have failed you once again. Even without this SOUL, he could do something unique and special for you two… something that I yearned to achieve, as its purpose… But I don't know how…! I don't know what else to create… I'm wasting this power…"
"Gaster…" Richard stated. "...It's not like that. You just need to keep trying. I'm sure that you can-"
"Maybe, if I destroy myself along with this place… you will never need someone like me… and you'd be better with Richard." Gaster admitted. "In the short time I had to know him… he has already proven to be a far better person than I am."
Chara and Frisk were sad, as Richard clenched his fists in anger.
"Gaster, listen-" Richard was about to shout, before someone shoved him aside, before placing their skeletal hands on Frisk's and Chara's shoulders.
When Richard got a better look at the person, he found that he was a skeleton like Gaster, except he was more diminutive, with a shorter skull as well. He also had a black ink-stain on one of his cheeks, and his eyes were eccentrically coloured, as they changed with each blink, into different shapes and colours for irises. He was dressed in a extremely large brown scarf around his neck, that flowed behind his back, a beige shirt and shorts, black boots with blue and orange details, a green furred hoodie tied around his waist, a black belt sash around his waist as well, filled with different colours of vials, and a large brush on his back, that reminded on the kind that Heiwa used in battle.
"Hey, hold the phone, buddy." The new arrival stated to Gaster.
"I don't even know what a 'phone' is…" Gaster sighed, as the other skeletal man walked closer to him, and knelt down to eye-level.
"Look at me, silly old man." He stated, as Gaster did so. "Don't be so hard on yourself. You suffer from something called 'Lack of Motivation'. There's no need to destroy anything or anybody. I have the perfect solution to your problem."
"How odd… Richard said the same thing about a lack of motivation." Gaster commented, before the other skeletal man showed his hand out.
"Come with me, pal. I won't leave you alone until you give me a chance!" The skeletal man told Gaster.
Gaster looked at the hand for a moment, before taking it.
"I'll come with you, on one condition. You take Richard with me to see that solution of yours." Gaster declared.
"Him?" The skeletal man answered back, looking at Richard. "...Any particular reason?"
"Let's just say… he will be a great help in implementing whatever solution you have in mind." Gaster answered back.
"If you say so." The skeletal man answered back, before he then swung his brush, creating a door-way of light. "Come on, all of you!"
The rest of them complied, as they travelled through the door, before they found themselves on a island, among thousands more, as there was countless variations of them, some fantasy-like, some futuristic, some extraterrestrial, some horrific, the possibilities were endless.
"...What is this place?" Richard voiced his thoughts.
"Welcome to the Doodle Sphere! Here are thousands of alternate versions of us, worlds with simple and complex stories." The skeletal man stated. "You could think everything already exists here, but I'm sure you can create something new."
Richard looked around. "Alternate versions… worlds…" Richard remarked, as he felt a tingling sensation in his mind, as if it was a key to a memory he lost.
"Not everyone in the multiverse has your ability, Gaster. The gift of creating something out of nothing." The skeletal man continued, as the islands turned into orbs of darkness, and then turned into pages of light floating in the air, behind a golden back-ground. "You can create the world you wish! You can do whatever you want! If you want, I can show you more closely. These worlds can give you so many ideas!"
"Hey, Gaster… I think that this might be the key to giving you some inspiration for something unique for yourself! That guy is right, it is a brilliant solution!" Richard told Gaster, only to notice that he was stunned at the sight. "Gaster… you alright?"
"...I… I would greatly appreciate it, my friend." Gaster told the other skeletal man.
"Excellent! Now then, you can easily go back here if you like. I got my other duties to deal with." The skeletal man answered back.
"...Wait. Back there… you could have just let me finish, before you cut in." Richard interrupted. "I was trying to help him get out of the rut as well. Surely we're working for the same thing, yes?"
"Of course, sorry for that." The skeletal man answered back. "Say, you don't seem to be someone from this multiverse. So I think you should be careful with Error, he hates people like you."
"Error?" Richard asked back.
"You'll know when you see him. Anyways, my name is Ink Sans. Hope you manage to give Gaster the help he needs!" Ink stated, before he then disappeared in a swirl of ink.
'Something about those words… seem off…' Richard thought to himself with some suspicion, before turning to Gaster, who was still frozen on the spot, and then towards the children, who were amazed at what they saw. 'Why do I feel like… something terrible is going to happen, but I don't know how it's going to happen? I better keep an eye on Gaster… something about Ink's word… awakened something dangerous in him…'
Richard then waited for Gaster to finally recover, as he retreated back to his realm, to decide what is next.
Entry Number 2, Timeline Number 0
We met Ink Sans… and boy, did he drop a real bomb on us.
So there is this place called the Doodle Sphere, where there are allegedly countless versions of Gaster, Frisk and Chara. Nothing about me, since I'm an outsider from his perspective.
At least he gave me fair warning about a threat: Error. He sounds like that they're a hunter for outsiders, and that's going to be a dangerous thing to deal with, while I'm around this place.
He said that the experience with the Doodle Sphere is good for Gaster's goal… but I feel like that although it seems like it does fulfil that goal… It also did something to Gaster that I'm not sure I like.
Every since we returned, Gaster been fervently visiting timelines left and right, exploring the best and worst. I partook those visits with him in most cases, but there were times where we went alone.
At least it gave him the foundations he was looking for. But at the same time… He also changed quite a lot, even since those last weeks I met him. He seems more… cold and logical.
I had to do my best to keep Chara and Frisk happy, but it ain't easy, considering they're nosy about their 'father'.
Something's wrong about this. I can't tell exactly what, because I can't exactly correlate this feeling of unease with anything I experienced before, at least anything I remember… But I know that something's wrong, that's certain.
I wonder if Ink really intended to help us out of the goodness of his heart, and even then, there must be other motives for such a thing. You do not give a creator inspiration without keeping a check on what they might learn. It could turn them into monsters, if the wrong influences were used.
And yet, ever since then, Ink was not seen again as of the date I write this log…
Gaster is about to create the first timeline for this world…
I only hope that it's everything that he wished for… But considering that his optimism is dying in a dumpster fire somewhere… I feel like that this is going to be a painful process for all involved parties...