You can't hear anything. The lack of noise cups your ears and presses in on your momentarily healed body. You suck in a breath but you can't even hear your own breathing. Or your own heartbeat that pounds violently in your chest.
"Finally…" The voice rings out through the nothingness. The child's voice… You know this voice. This was the same voice from the phone. The same child from the video. "I was so tired of being a flower." So slowly, ever so slowly, too slowly, he turns around. His clawed feet drag as he does, the noise is so loud in the silence.
He faces you, eyes closed. He looks exactly like the child in the video, as if a day hasn't passed since however long ago it'd been filmed.
This was the son of Asgore and Toriel.
When he opens his eyes, he smiles so sweetly, so kindly, up at you.
"Howdy!" He sounds like a small Asgore. "Chara, are you there?"
You glance behind you, seeing only more infinite darkness. You look back to Asriel with confusion.
"It's me," He continues. "Your best friend."
"I don't-" But your words are swallowed by a flash of light that blinds you momentarily. The air in the nothingness changes and you know something's gone wrong.
Now, before you, is a beast as tall as Asgore. A large, black eyed monster that floats before you. He wears something like Toriel, a purple tunic that you think might've been worn by all the royals at some point.
This is Asriel Dreemurr.
This child... Child? This flower, child, monster, took your friends to become this.
You can't hear their souls.
Your green heart pulses in front of you.
Your hands are empty, your bat lost to the past room. You don't know anything about the monster before you. You know tidbits of his long ago past, but nothing about him from Frisk or anyone else. You don't know why he's fighting you, why he's here now instead of Flowey.
You don't know how to talk to him.
You don't know why he keeps calling you his best friend or really what Flowey was talking about at all.
All you know is you can hear… something.
You hear music slowly growing louder as his hands rise higher. Your heartbeat grows louder as flames drip from his fingertips.
And yet, you hear something else. It's quiet, barely noticeable with the loud song blaring in your ears. But through it all…
You hear a little boy crying.
It fills you with the need to show Kindness.
You dodge balls of blue flames. They fly at you in a similar pattern that reminds you of purple stone walls and tear filled eyes. For a moment, you think you can handle this fight.
Then there's shooting stars.
"You know, I don't care about destroying this world anymore."
The black around you pulses, color melting in and out of it like a bubbling pool of oil. It shines and shimmers hundred of colors, oozing down all around you. The stars glint above your head like the night sky before they come raining down. As sharp as knives and as hot as heated metal they aim for you as you run and dodge. There's only so much you can do to avoid them as they hail down.
"After I defeat you and gain total control over the timeline… I just want to reset everything." When the waves of the stars finally cease, Asriel pull his two cleaver like swords out to swing. And when you avoid them, he turns to firing lasers of the concentrated version of the same hot rainbow matter around you.
"All your progress...Everyone's memories… I'll bring them all back to zero! Then we can do everything all over again!"
Your body burns all over from cuts and burns. You pull back, panting. He was spouting nonsense, attacking you over and over again without any finishing blows even when you knew they he could. You had no weapon, you posed no threat, he was playing with you.
"And you know what the best part of all this is? You'll do it!" He laughed, unsheathing one of his swords from the abyss to close in. "And then you'll lose to me again." He swings. "And again." You barely get out of the way, his speed terrifying, earning a slice across your face. "And again! All because you want a "happy ending.""
You do want a happy ending.
"Because you "love your friends.""
You do love your friends.
"Because you "never give up.""
You won't give up.
"Isn't that delicious?" He laughs at the bunching of your face. "You had no clue why you were brought here, no idea it was all His idea, but you're still fighting for your "friends" like this wasn't all planned. Your fake "determination"... The power that let you get this far… it's gonna be your downfall."
The colors brighten until they blind you.
When you can see again, a floating, disfigured Asriel floats before you. His wings burn like the rainbow tar from before, but the room is once again pitch black and endless. His voice distorts, sounding like it surrounds you even as you stare at him while he speaks. "Behold my true power." You try to move but you stay fixed in place. Your eyes water at the light glowing from him. Orbs shining in all colors race from him into you.
Every time one hits you, you feel yourself die. Yet, your eyes don't close and you don't slip away. But you know somehow, someway, he's killing you.
It… feels like the world is ending.
"I can feel it. Every time you die, your grip on this world slips away. Every time you die, your friend forget you a little more. Your life will end here, in a world where no one remembers you…"
You managed a heavy step back, but you muscles remain rigid. Every time a glowing orb hits you, you'd spasm and choke on air. Tears filled your eyes, an ethereal pain coursing through you and, at the same time, not at all. You clench your fists, trying to will yourself to move, to run, but you can't.
"In a few moments, you'll forget everything, too. That attitude will serve you well in your next life!"
Nothing's working. Just standing here struggling isn't saving anyone. You'll die no matter what if you just let him continue. There has to be a way. There has to be something you can-
The souls. You couldn't hear them initially but.. Maybe you didn't listen hard enough.
You call out to the souls in Asirel. Your friends have to be in there, somewhere, don't they?
Within the depths of Asriel's soul, something resonates.
"What're you-" Asriel reaches a gnarled hand for you but is thrown back as a beam of red light shoots from his chest. He gargles a scream, the red flooding the room before it concentrates in front of you.
Whatever spell was holding you dims and you stumble back as you regain your will.
Before you is a lost soul… It's Frisk.
A magical white looking glitch shimmers across Frisk's face. They flinch and struggle and you think they're in the same magical bind you'd been in earlier. They fight to escape. They shake their head, trying to throw off the magic covering it. They almost didn't need to, as it was slowly melting away and revealing more of their face the more they struggled-
They paused when they noticed you were close. The magic melts and reveals just the kids lips.
They smile.
It's not Frisk.
"C-Chara?" You whip around, seeing Asriel up right again, staring past you. "Chara you're back!"
You turn slowly around, meeting red eyes of a smiling little boy. He stands next to Frisk, who's covered in even more white magic than before. The boy looks eerily similar to Frisk, but as everything is the same, it's different. His bagged eyes stare into you, ignoring Asriel. He's the same height as Frisk, but thinner and lanky. His smile wilts and something glints in his hand.
A knife.
"Thank you." You flinch at his voice. His smile is weary and his tired eyes fall away from you. "I couldn't stop the cycle myself. Frisk didn't have enough Determination alone to get through and mine's… tainted." He raises the knife and taps his index finger against the tip. "Sorry 'bout that. The only way I could try and stop this was to get someone with innocent Determination to take over while the kid recovered."
He smiles and it's the first time it felt real.
"Goody-two-shoes here won't wake up until everyone is saved. You know how they are." Chara huffs a laugh, shrugging as he walks past you towards Asriel. "So, wake everyone up. I'll handle As."
You turn, watching as the boy faces the giant gobsmacked goat. He raises his knife out as a threat and its then you realize it's plastic.
"Chara what're you… Why're you helping her?!" Chara gave a bored shrug as Asriel reels back.
"This has to stop As. You have to let go." Chara sends a look to you over his shoulder before he darts off. His speed is just as frightening. You can tell Chara's fought before. In fact, the way he so easily gets through Asriel's attacks to get up to his face sends a chill through you. You're glad you weren't on the other side of that smile and toy knife.
You shake your head, refocusing yourself. Chara was giving you the time you needed! Looking at Frisk, they stay scarily quiet, curling up on themselves instead of fighting like seconds before.
You concentrate and call out to the souls of your close friends again.
Papyrus and Sans materialize into view.
"Sans, Papryus-ah!" As soon as Paps becomes tangible, bones jut out of the ground and race towards you.
"I MUST CAPTURE A HUMAN!"
"What!?" You jump over more racing bones, tripping over the last one and falling onto your face. You grunt and send a glare up at Pap.
"THEN EVERYONE WILL LIKE ME!"
What was up with him? He was acting like he did when you first met-
Oh. What Asriel said… about them forgetting you… Is this what this was? Did Papyrus not remember you?
"Just give up. I did." Sans stands slumped next to his brother. You squint at him, never having heard his voice so shakey and high pitched before.
Well, if they didn't remember you… You'll just need to make them remember!
"Papyrus, your spaghetti was so delicious." His bones hesitate, momentarily pausing in the air. "You promise to make some for me later, right?"
"...I'LL FINALLY BE POPULAR!" You squeak as you jump out of the way of the bone at the last second.
"Why even try?" Sans echos. "Nothing you do will matter…"
"Papyrus, I need help with a puzzle!" You jump another bone. Is this how Frisk and him fought in Snowdin? "Only a puzzle master like you could help me!"
As you backpedal, a bone suddenly appears at your heels and you fall onto your ass. Papyrus closes in then and materializes a long thick bone in his hand. You try to crawl back but piles of bones stop you and you throw your arms up to guard from the incoming blow.
"Can I borrow your coat I'm cold!" You blurt out.
Nothing happens.
You feel something like thick air drip onto your arms. You peak between them up at the towering skeleton and see that the white magic fogging his mind was melting away. He stares at you and then, as if he was a computer rebooting, jerks into motion.
"HUMAN! WHAT'RE YOU DOING ON THE GROUND?" He reaches out his free hand towards you and a shaky breath of relief leaves you. You let him pull you to your feet. He dusts you off, as if there was any way you could've gotten dirty in the literal void.
"I'm glad you're back, Papyrus." You look over at Sans and it seems, after hearing you talk to his brother, he'd come to as well. He smiles lopsidedly at you and he walks up to Paps side. "You too, Sans."
"OF COURSE!... WHERE DID I GO?" He looks around and something seems to click for him.
"Good job kid, glad you didn't give in." Sans says quietly to you. At least, it sounded quiet in comparison to his brothers voice.
"Glad I didn't either."
"IT SEEMS YOU WILL NEED A WEAPON!" Papyrus suddenly says, sockets focused on the giant goat and kid battle behind you. He holds out the large femur he had magicked into reality moments ago. "SINCE YOU DO NOT HAVE YOUR TRUSTY BAT, THE GREAT PAPYRUS WILL GIFT YOU HIS OWN WEAPON OF CHOICE!" You take the cool to the touch bone in your clammy hands.
"Thank you, Paps." He tousles your hair. Sans winks.
Then… They fade away and you're left with the noises of fighting behind you.
You shut your eyes again and focus on calling out. If your friends were going to act like how they did when they first met you, it meant they were all going to try and kill you. Well, everyone but Sans.
You prepared yourself mentally as another soul appeared.
Undyne looms in front of you, two spears already fisted in either hand. Though you can't see her face through the magic, you know she's glaring at you, you can feel the heated look.
"Human…" Undyne growls, raising a spear. Her soul song sings loudly as you feel the thrum of her magic light the air. More spears appear and you're glad Papyrus armed you as you position it over your shoulder like you would your bat.
"Undy-" She lunges before you can get her name out.
There's the ghost of a feeling tingling under your ribcage. It makes your skin prickle with cold sweat and your stomach knot itself.
Your brain replays the moment of Undyne's spear slowly sinking into you. Slicing through your flesh like scissors through wrapping paper. You feel the warm sticky blood pool in a pit of heat before pouring down your belly.
You jump back and put a hand briefly to your untouched, unharmed abdomen before focusing on Undyne's wild swinging.
"I'll kill you for monster kind!"
You jump back, turning just in time to bat away her spears from running you through. "Cooking lessons!" You scramble for more words, losing them as you try to focus on not letting her kill you. "You taught me how to cook in your kitchen!"
She pulls a spear back to throw, but it doesn't quite leave her hand.
"All humans are the enemy!" She growls and grinds her teeth. When there's a break in the wave of spears, you flash her a giant toothy smile, like the one she always made. When you notice her grip loosen, you run for her. She immediately snaps her spear down, ready to block your swinging bone-
But instead of coming down on her full force, you lightly tap her defense.
The magic explodes and reveals her wide eyes.
Her smile lights up her face and she pulls you in for a strong hug.
"Some humans are okay, I guess." She squeezes and then pulls away. "Mess 'em up, kid." She gives a two finger wave and then the void swallows her like it'd done to the skeleton brothers.
Three down, now there was only-
"Show time!"
"You hate me… Don't you?"
A pink heel comes for your throat and the femur meets it just in time to save you. Mettaton laughs hotly, standing protectively in front of a curled up Alphys.
"If I kill the human, my ratings will sore!" He blows a kiss at you before twirling towards you, deadly sharp boot aimed right for you.
"Alphys!" You call out, trying to gracefully backpedal away from the robot. "I know you can do this! I believe in you! Only you can do this!"
"They all hate me… I deserve it…"
"Lights! Camera! Me!" Mettaton pushes you further away from Alphys. However, you see her raise her head up at your voice. You bend back, as if you were being dipped, just missing the robots foot. You awkwardly turn, trying to remember how Frisk danced while fighting him.
"Let's have a date at the garbage dump, Alph-!" You choke on your words as Mettaon's knee connects with your gut. He gets another hit, cracking against your jaw, but you pull away in time to dodge the next few. "Your friends love you!" You voice breaks in your words, your ragged breathing making it nearly inhearable. However, you watch Alphys stand up out of the corner of your eyes.
"M-Mettaton!" The robot stutters to a halt at Alphys stuttered yell, fist stopped near inches from your face. With him frozen, you're quick to act.
"Your audience loved our dancing, Mettaton. Remember their calls?" The bot shudders. Alphys, without any magic coating her, walks up to his side as the magic starts to drip off of him. She smiles up at you.
"You're right, my friends do like me! A-and I like you, too!" She places a clawed paw on Mettaton's side. Now without anything affecting him, he sends you a cheeky smirk.
"I'll be famous even if I don't kill any humans." He winks and then places his arm around Alphys, their souls fading out.
You suck in a breath.
Briefly, you look behind you, checking on Asriel and Chara's fighting. They were wild, going at each other in a way that you couldn't possibly imagine you being able to do. It was unreal how they fought. Chara was terrifyingly skilled with that plastic knife and it looked like Asriel was barely able to keep up. If Chara was fighting seriously instead of buying you time, you don't think Asriel would've lasted even half as long as he had. Seeing Chara's determination to help you spures you only to call to the souls again.
This time when you call out, two souls call out to you, too. You feel the warmth of them as the figures form bulkily before you, towering taller than everyone else.
"Toriel… Asgore…" You tighten your grip on the bone as Toriel raises her paw, summoning flames, while Asgore swings out his trident.
"This is for your own good." Toriel says, sending the flames your way. You swing, knocking them away.
"Forgive me for this." You leap to the side as Asgore stabs out his trident towards you.
While you could handle dodging flames and batting them away, you couldn't dodge them and Asgore. You turn to Toriel and rush her.
You collide into her, making her stumble back. You wrap your arms tightly around her, like you had when you left the ruins.
"I promised I'd see you again, remember?" She stiffens immediately. Before she can react with her fire filled paw you quickly run out of range.
"This is my duty.." Asgore mumbles, swinging at you. You block with the bone, pushing against it as he tries to force his trident through you.
"Come on, you can't kill me, you promised me a home!" You feel the strength he had behind his weapon decrease sharply.
Fire lights up your side and you bite the inside of your cheek to stop your yell of pain. Iron fills your mouth. You look over to Toriel, seeing she was out of her stupor and was targeting you again. You spit the blood out and push. "I won't hurt either of you! No matter what… I won't give this up. I won't give you two up!"
You stumble forward as Asgore nearly drops the trident. You fall against a fuzzy chest. Asgore wraps his arms around you and your heart swells. Feeling a hand on your back you glance over to see Toriel, back to herself, smiling sweetly down at you.
"The fate is up to you now, child." She says, running her paw through your hair. Asgore squeezes you and then gently pulls away.
"You are our future." He says. The two exchange a look before they both smile at you. "Everyone believes in you."
Then, they're gone.
Now...
Slowly, you turn around. Frisk stands in the same place you had left when the fight began. They're like a statue, refusing to struggle against the spell holding them in place. The white magic fogging their mind is large, unlike the other souls you'd faced. It nearly covers all of them.
"Frisk…" You say, testing the waters. There wasn't a moment in Frisk's life that you hadn't been a part of, so you couldn't imagine how the magic was affecting them.
You reach your hand out for their shoulder but the sound of their small voice stops you in your tracks.
"I jumped on purpose."
"I-...What?"
"I'm only a burden…. To dad, mom, sister…." Their hands shake as they dig their fingers into their arms. Like every time they spoke instead of signed, their voice cracked and broke, rough from unuse. "So I jumped into the hole…. I didn't think I'd wake up. Not here." Their lips quiver. "I loved the monsters, but my love for them turned into LOV when I was determined to stay instead of going back. It said I could stay if I listened." Their hands move to their head and they pull at their hair. "It wasn't him, even though I thought they were the same and-" Frisk takes a watery gasp. "I don't deserve mercy after killing everyone in the underground!"
You stare at Frisk. At your kid siblings. At the sibling you had raised and loved as if they were more than a sibling but your own child. You stare as they shake, panic and fear nearly tangibly rolling off them.
Your hands connect with their shoulders and before they can pull away you wrap your arms tightly around them. Your knees crack against the ground as you hold them, burying their head into your shoulder. You feel the cold magic against your bare skin and their hot tears bleed into the strap of your dress.
"I'm sorry." You say into their hair. "I'm so sorry I didn't realize how you felt sooner. If only I'd paid more attention-" You swallow. "There's nothing I can say to make your guilt disappear… All I can do is be here for you. Me, and all of the monsters. We're here for you, no matter what, no matter what you did in other resets…" You slowly pull away, reaching through the magic to cup the child's cheeks. "You have to let me in, though. You have to tell me what's wrong, you have to let me help you. I can't help, I can't be here for you, if you don't want me to." Frisk breathes raggedly, sniffling. They reach out their hands, cupping your cheeks. "Please Frisk. Let me help you. Let me be your sister."
"...Okay."
The magic cracks and shatters. Frisk nearly collapses against you. You hold them tightly until they disappear and you end up hugging yourself.
You stand up, knees almost giving out from under you.
As soon as Frisk had been saved, you felt a tether to your soul grow taut. Strangely, as your friends remembered you… something else began resonating within Asriel's soul, stronger and stronger. It seems… That there's still one last person that needs to be saved.
But you knew that already, didn't you?
"Chara." The kid jumps back away from the distorted goat. Both of them breathing heavy. Chara doesn't move his eyes away from Asriel, but neither move to go at each other again.
"You done?" He asks quietly.
"I don't need anymore time." You answer, looking between the two boys. You look to your floating green soul and, as if knowing what you were thinking, it starts to glow gently.
"You're just biding your time before I kill you!" Asriel shouts. For the moment you ignore him and turn to Chara, who quirked a brow at your attention.
"You remember growing up with Asriel, don't you?" His eyes widen and he immediately looks away from you. Your green soul glows brighter. "Both of you… You're just kids. But what've you two been doing? Why're you two lingering, still?"
"Focus on As-"
"For him to let go, you both have to let go." You interject, the light from your soul punctuating your words. It blankets the entire room, filling it with a feeling of Kindness. Asriel groans, catching both of your attention. He raises his claws to his head.
"What's this feeling…? What's happening to me?"
"You both had a family that loved you, you both had people who loved you in the Underground. I know you both miss that." Chara reaches for their chest, bunching their shirt up as if they're reaching for something that should be there.
"No… No!" Asirels scream distorts and you spin around to focus as he raises his arms above his head. "I don't need anyone!" Souls fly from his hands, racing towards you and Chara. The two of you split, trying your best to stay untouched in your already weakened form. "Do you hear me!? I'll tear you apart!" When he fires again, you immediately notice the beams have lessened and have even slowed down. He wilts after the attack. "Chara… Do you even know why I'm doing this? Why I'm fighting to keep you around?" You brace for the beams but…
Lazy blue fire gently drifts around you and Chara, reminding you of Toriel's final attack when she'd lost the will to fight you.
"You're the only one that understands me. You're the only one who's any fun to play with anymore. If I let that kid go you'll leave and-..." Asriel looks between you and the red eyed boy and he suddenly shakes his head. "No...That's not just it… I'm doing this because I care about you, Chara! I care about you more than anybody else! I'm not ready for this to end. I'm not ready for you to leave me. I'm not ready to say goodbye to someone like you again."
"Asriel…" Chara murmurs. He grips his toy knife before completely letting go of it. The tired look on his face crumbles and tears well in his eyes. Suddenly, he looks even younger than Frisk.
"So, Please!" You hear the tears in Asriel's voice. "Stop helping her! Stop doing this! And just let me win!"
Asriel suddenly throws his hands together and fires a laser straight at the two of you. It expands until it fills your vision and you know there's no way you can escape from its path.
You realize you're going to die.
Really die, this time.
There was no loading or saving this time.
You were going to die and, if you did, so would everyone else. No one would be saved in the end if Asriel wasn't.
And you didn't want to die. You could think that with confidence, now.
The beam hits you, runs your through. The moment the beautiful light touches you, your soul shatters.
And you die.
…
…..
….
But you refuse.
You gasp, air filling your lungs as your eyesight snaps back so quickly your brain buffers to keep up. You push your wobbly form up and stagger.
Dreemur looks at you with tears streaming down his face, hands outstretched from his attack.
"...Why?"
"I'm sorry, Asriel." You say.
You didn't fall into the Underground to make friends, but you did.
You never plan on really caring about anyone other than yourself and Frisk, but you always end up giving a shit.
You didn't follow the kid around, ignoring the obvious signs that they were lying to you, just to fuck around and chase your own tail with no endgoal.
You didn't fight giant monsters of all different species, just to not reach the end and break the barrier.
You didn't spend your life protecting Frisk and taking care of them, just for them to decide they weren't good enough.
You didn't listen to your mother's cursing or take your father's beatings, just to roll over and let a magical goat take everything from you.
"Just let me win…"
Your souls pastes itself together. From the crack down the middle, as the green returns to coating the room with it's warmth, a different color emerges.
A bright crimson shines in the room against the green.
True Determination is born from your Kindness.
It envelops Asriel. It doesn't just glow against him, but it goes through him, into him. Not only do you feel his fear, his loneliness, but you also feel his guilt and regret.
You're Determined to show him Kindness.
His distorted form cracks, splinters. Chunks of it start falling away and disappearing. Behind it all, gently descending to the ground, is a small, weeping child, wrapped in the light of your soul.
"I'm so sorry." He whimpers, scrubbing his small hand against his wet eyes. You drop the bone grasped in your palm.
"I always was a crybaby, wasn't I, Chara?" You glance over your shoulder, where you expect Chara to be, but instead Frisk is standing there, staring at you. You reach your hand out to them and they wipe away the remainder of their tears as they take it and stand with you in front of the child. Asriel looks to Frisk. "I know you're not actually Chara." He places a paw to his chest. "Chara's been gone for a long time. What… What are your names?" He looks between the two of you.
"Frisk." They sign as you give your own, smiling.
"I… I like those names." Asriel says, sniffling. "They're nice… I haven't felt like this for a long time. As a flower, I was soulless. I lacked the power to love other people. However, with everyone's souls inside me… I not only have my own compassion back… But I can feel every other monster's as well. They all care about each other so much. And they care about you both, too…" He holds both of his hands against his chest, as if what he was talking about was physical. "I wish I could tell you how much everyone feels about you. Papyrus… Sans… Undyne… Alphys… Mettaton… Toriel… Asgore… Even though they barely know you… It feels like they all really love you…"
"They love you too, Asriel." You say, gently. The child stiffens and then shakes his head solemnly.
"They… Did. But not anymore." He sucks in a breath. "I… I understand if you two can't forgive me. I understand if you hate me. I acted so strange and horrible. I hurt you. I hurt so many people. Friends, family, bystanders… There's no excuse for what I've done."
"Of course we forgive you." You blurt before even waiting for Frisk's input. However, you're positive they feel the same way.
"Wh-what?" The boys seems more than confused at how sure your answer was. "Guys… C-c'mon.. You're gonna make me cry again." He sniffles. "...Besides, even if you do forgive me… I can't keep these souls inside of me. The least I can do is return them. But first.. There's something I have to do." He wipes the last of his tears away. "Right now, I can feel everyone's hearts beating as one. They're all burning with the same desire. With everyone's power… With everyone's determination… It's time for monsters to finally go free."
Asriel turns away from you both. The void starts brightening, drowning out your vision of the child. Frisk holds tightly onto your leg and, just as everything is swallowed, you see Asriel look back and say something to you.
Then it's all gone.
What did he say?
You couldn't hear him…
The world is dark.
You stand on nothing at all but you feel a ground under the soles of your feet.
A figure appears in front of you and at the same time you find them both familiar and unfamiliar. You fear this silhouette and at the same time feel as if it's a kindred soul.
Their grinning face is a beacon of white through the dark, floating without a grounding form to own it.
You've seen them before. You're sure of it.
Back in Hotland?
Back before you fell?
They assure you you've seen them once you get back onto the surface.
But that's in the future, not now. Now, they say they only came to congratulate you.
You finally finished the prologue.
"Child! This is all just a bad dream…! Please, wake up…!"
"Toriel?" You murmur, rolling onto your side. You open your eyes and blearily look around. Spotting actual ground and multiple sets of feet, you slowly sit up. "Is everyone alright?" You mumble, still trying to process your fuzzy thoughts.
"You are awake! Thank goodness." Toriel is kneeled down at your side, holding Frisk bundled up in her arms. She smiles at you, and then at Frisk when she realizes they had also opened their eyes.
"W-we were so worried…!" comes around your side, teary eyed as she wrings her hands. "It felt like you two were out forever!" You rub at your throbbing eyes, wondering why they felt so sore. A blue hand interrupts you and you take it, letting Undyne pull you to your feet.
"Any longer and I would have freaked out!" She roughly pats you on your back. "Tell us next time you decide to take a nap, okay!?"
"A nap?" You ask, looking around. You're back in the lit up room before the barrier. You look up and can see straight to a twilight sky above ground. However, it doesn't shine the way you remembered it doing before you fought Asgore…
"Yeah. You made Papyrus cry like a baby." Sans says, elbowing Papyrus at the same time he winks at Frisk. The kid had wiggled their way out of Torial's arms. They stared blearily at Sans, glancing to Toriel, before turning towards you.
"WHAT! I DIDN'T CRY! I DON'T CRY! I JUST… CAUGHT SOMETHING IN MY EYE."
"What did you catch bro?"
"TEARS!" Mettaton snorts and hides it with his hand while Sans pats his brothers femur.
"Now, now." Asgore rumbles. "The important part is that they are both all right." He smiles at you and your heart warms. You suddenly feel more awake. Frisk makes their way to your hip, collides into it, and then hugs your leg.
"Buddy?" You say gently, resting your palm on their head. They don't look up and they stay still.
"Here, Frisk, why not drink some tea?" Asgore offers soothingly. "It'll make you feel better." Frisk shrinks away, gripping you closer.
"Er…" Toriel starts. "How about we give them space, first. They must be very exhausted. Though, from what, I am not certain." That startles you.
"Wait, what do you mean?" You glance around, seeing everyone seems a bit confused.
"Well…" She continues. "We do not remember exactly what happened. There was a flower…. And then, everything went white. At least, that is what I recall." There's a mumbling of agreement from all of your friends. You guess… it made sense that they wouldn't remember when their souls got swallowed? So none of them remembered when you saved them, which was fine with you.
"But the barrier…" You trail off.
"The barrier is gone. I am sure we have you two to thank for that." You nod, avoiding her smile out of embarrassment. "Are you two ready to return to the surface? It seems the path to the east will lead us there now- Oh!" She claps her hands together. It reminds you of the sound of two white board erasers clapping together. "But before then, perhaps you would like to take a walk? You can say goodbye to all of your wonderful friends."
You look off to the east, at the path said to lead to the surface. It makes your heart beat faster and a type of anxiety fill you.
Your journey is over. Just through there you could finally see the sky again, return to your life.
You turn to Frisk, seeing they were also looking in the same direction. The kid finally looks up to you and tugs at your hand as they smile.
"I think we will." You say for both of you.
Frisk leads you through back through the Underground. On the way monsters run up to you, asking you what the loud noises were from the capital. They thank you, when they find out, rushing to spread the word at the same time to begin packing. Some follow you until you leave their neighborhood, others just stare in awe. Frisk makes sure to hit your more notable friends on the way, making sure to swing by the same places you'd breezed through while adventuring.
It's when you finally get back to the old worn ruin doors that it hits you how truly far you've traveled. Frisk keeps going, however, passing the old doors. They search for the number of whinsums and froggits you'd both met before, telling them of the fallen barrier, of their freedom. You both return to Toriel's home, only pausing a moment in it's warmth before going even further. You think you should ask Frisk why they're so determined to return to the very beginning but the question dies on your tongue when you finally come to the hole.
The light of dawn bathes the room. The yellow buttercups nearly glow as they happily begin opening for the morning.
Sitting in the same spot you and Frisk sat when you first fell are two little boys.
They look happy, serine.
Frisk runs ahead of you, immediately throwing themselves at Asriel and Chara. While Asriel yelps, surprised, Chara just smirks and wraps Frisk in his arms. You stand, staring at the three children.
They're crying in each others arms.
You slowly walk over, they look up at you as you shake. You kneel and open your arms up to them.
"It's okay now. It's over. I'm so proud of all of you." You say, tears of your own falling. Theirs a pause of sucked in breath before a new wave of tears form in their eyes. Just the assurance makes them cry harder and the three lunge to get into your embrace.
For now, they were children. Crying, scared, and lonely children who, for the moment, needed the comfort of an older sister.
You could do that.
The rising sun is bright. It reaches out and curls around you and your friends. The breezes billows, your dress flapping in the wind as it greets you. It's silly but… It feels like the surface is greeting you.
"Oh my…" Toriel breathes.
"Isn't it beautiful, everyone?" Asgore asks. You can't help but look at your friends on either side of you. They all stared out at the sunrise with awe. It's the first time they've ever seen the sky. Or the sun. Or anything you had taken for granted.
"Frisk, you live with this?!" Undyne ducked down to ruffle Frisk's head of hair. The kid laughed, batting her away with their one free hand. "The sunlight is so nice… and the air is so fresh! I really feel alive!"
"HEY SANS…" Papyrus leans over your head to look down at the skele on your left. "WHAT'S THAT GIANT BALL?"
"We call that "the sun," my friend." You snort. Sans elbows you.
"THAT'S THE SUN!? WOWIE! I CAN'T BELIEVE I'M FINALLY MEETING THE SUN!" Papyrus waves at the sunrise and you can't help but laugh.
Sans elbows you again, but this time to grab your attention.
"See? I told you other people cared about you." He jerks his head to the side, gesturing to the line of your close friends.
It only took a major battle and seeing them nearly disappear before your eyes to finally get you to admit people cared about you. That you were worth their love. You suck in a breath and then smile, gently placing your head on Sans skull.
"Yeah, you were right. Thanks, Sans." He shrugs as if it was no big deal, still grinning.
"I could stand here and watch this for hours…" Asgore mumbles. When looking over at him, you can see the glint of tears in his eyes.
"Yes, it is beautiful, is it not?" Toriel shifts, catching your eye. She's turned to you. "But we should really think about what comes next." The king cleared his throat.
"Oh, right. Everyone…" Your small group turns to the king. "This is the beginning of a bright new future." His eyes find yours. "An era of peace between humans and monsters." You feel a hand in yours and glance to see Frisk at your side. "Children.. I have something to ask of you two." He clasps his hands and takes a step forward. "Will you act as our ambassadors to the humans?"
"I… wow Asgore thats-"
"Yes!" Frisk's eyes shine as they sign.
"We'll do anything we can to help everyone." You amend laughing as Frisk bounces in their spot.
"YES! FRISK WILL BE THE BEST AMBASSADOR!" Papyrus proclaims, hand to his chest. "AND I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, WILL BE THE BEST MASCOT! I'LL GO MAKE A GOOD FIRST IMPRESSION!" Immediately Papyrus takes off down the mountain. With his long legs he's nearly out of sight in a second, hidden in the trees.
"Welp." Sans deadpans, also staring off at his brother. "Someone's gotta keep him from getting into trouble. See you guys." Sans pats your arm as he walks off in the opposite direction Papyrus sprinted. You roll your eyes.
"Man do I have to do everything?" Undyne bits as she watches Sans walk off. "Papyrus, wait!" She twists to run after but skids to a halt. "Come on Alphys." She scoops the rest faced doctor under one of her arms before sprinting off. All you hear is her battle cries and Alphys's embarrassed squealing as they head down the mountain.
Asgore stares for a long moment. He doesn't move until you hear Toriel clear her throat, which makes the King flinch. He hurriedly goes after the monsters. When he's out of ear shot Toriel lets out an exasperated sigh.
"He is a bumbling king." Toriel murmurs. She then looks over to you and Frisk. "It seems that everyone is quite eager to set off." She pauses then. She wrings her hands quietly together, looking nervous. "Frisk…" She kneels down to Frisk's height. She waves for you to come over to and she takes a hand of yours and the free hand of Frisks. "You both came from this world, right? So you must have a place to return to, do you not? What will you do now?"
That… was a loaded question. You stare at the white paw that holds your hand gently. You then look over to the one holding onto Frisk. The child isn't looking at Toriel, but staring intently at you.
You open your mouth to tell Toriel that you have to go home. That you have to return to your mother and to your life.
But you can't.
You can't take Frisk away from her, her promise of a new life. You couldn't bring them back to their abusive home. You gently slip your hand from Toriel's and as her face falls you push Frisk forward into her arms.
"Child what…" She looks confused as she glances between you and Frisk. You both won't break eye contact.
"I want to go with you." Frisk signs, finally looking away to meet Toriel's gaze. The woman stares and then smiles so warmly, so lovingly, that you melt.
"Frisk… You are really a funny child. If you had said that earlier, none of this would have happened." She laughs as she hugs your sibling close. "It is a good thing you took so long to change your mind." Standing, Frisk's hand still in hers, she looks to you. "And you…?" You shake your head.
"I'd love to, Toriel, but I… have places to go. Take care of Frisk though." Toriel's smile wilted for just a second before she reached out.
"Does that mean you can not visit?" You blink in surprise as she giggles. Right this wasn't… goodbye. This was the beginning. "Come now, everyone is waiting for us."
"I um, just a minute!" You back peddle, much to Toriel's confusion, heading back to the entrance.
You duck down to pick up a potted plant.
"Finally. Took you long enough!" You snort as the flower growls at you.
"Just be glad I remembered to pick you back up." You reply, making your way back to take Toriel's waiting hand. She frowns as you pass Flowey off to Frisk, who happily hugged the hissing flower to their chest.
With one last look to the sunrise, you take Toriel's other hand and let her lead you down the mountain.
You don't know how the human will react to the hundreds of monsters coming from the underground.
You don't know how the monsters will accumulate to surface life, seeing everything they've missed.
You don't even know what will happen tomorrow.
But, for right now, you know you're safe.
That you're happy.
That you have a family.
And…. that's enough.