Alice in Undertale

By Lolitafreak88

Chapter 32 A Nightmare Come True

Alice hadn't moved, nor did she feel the ground beneath her move. Yet now she appeared to be in a vast, empty space of blackness and desolation with the Barrier nowhere in sight. Flowey and the six SOULS were absent but that in no way brought her any solace. Next to her was Napstablook, unharmed but looked nervous and sad. It had been a merciful stroke of fortune for him being here after what had transpired. Alice herself was feeling rather numb but seeing Napstablook gave her enough vulnerability and emotion to react to her situation, to what had just happened at last. She put her hands to her mouth and started to cry. The shock of what just happened and the bud of fear that sprouted within her about where this situation was going to lead consumed her.

"Oh my god… N-Napsta… Asgore is dead…" She sobbed.

"we're not at least… but who was that…?" Napstablook wanted to ask where they were but he started with questions that would maybe keep Alice from freaking out.

"Asgore's never coming back is he…?"

"... i mean… maybe if what Sans said is true then…" Napstablook frowned.

"... *Sniff* T-this is too horrible…" Alice said tearfully, getting to her feet.

"We shouldn't panic though… o-otherwise…" Napstablook couldn't finish his sentence.

Frankly if he weren't a ghost, he would most certainly be panicking. It was bad enough that Alice was clearly distraught and on the verge of panicking herself. Ultimately, it was a desperate desire to keep Alice's mind from falling into despair and completely lose her will to live or carry on that was encouraging Napstablook to reassure her. She was still stuck on trying to process the first shocking event that had just happened after all. Seeing someone murdered before your eyes was an easily traumatic sight. Whatever happened with that flower creature was yet to be understood by him and Alice wasn't able to digest that yet. How could she when she was still so young and still embracing her childhood like so many others would? In the eerie blackness and silence, Alice continued to sob.

"... W-what will I tell Toriel…? Or Undyne? O-or Alphys…? S-she admired him… a-and after what I've said to her she'll think… *Sob* I killed her…" Alice lamented.

"She won't! o-or at least i don't think she will… *Sigh* But even though I didn't know him very well, we should at least honor his memory. We have to get out of wherever we are to tell the Underground… stay determined right?" Napstablook looked around warily as he spoke to Alice.

"... *Sniff* I-I suppose that's good advice… I can't believe this… I mean… where are we…?" Alice, barely but successfully able to pull herself out of her misery, started to analyze their surroundings.

"We should still be right by the Barrier…"

"Right… the Barrier…" Alice took a few steps forward.

*Bam!* Red cracks appeared behind Alice but despite the sharp loudness of the sound, she didn't notice. Her mind was still slowly getting back to gear.

"You could say that…"

*Bam!* File Erased.

"This is…"

*Bam!* The cracks were now impossible to ignore. Alice turning around in startled disbelief.

"...The end?!" She gasped as the cracks broke to reveal Flowey's face at a size that seemed too impossible to be true.

Flowey said nothing but his mere presence was enough to make Napstablook float backwards as if to back away from him. Weirder yet was there was a grey square of what appeared to be static (From what she had learned regarding television) that appeared momentarily before Flowey's face seemed to zoom back and grow even larger. Alice could only start to wonder if by some ungodly spell that they were in some alternate plane or perhaps a whole separate land where Flowey was in control. Or that Flowey was merely demonstrating an image of himself to mock them while they were perhaps trapped in some sort of prison. She could only stand guarded, bewildered, and scared as Flowey finally began to speak,

"Howdy! It's me, FLOWEY. FLOWEY the FLOWER!"

"That's your name…? b-but... flowers don't talk…" Napstablook had an incredulous but fearful tone.

"They don't? Aww… you could ask Alice alllll about it once she joins the afterlife. For now though, I suppose I owe the two of you a HUGE thanks. You really did a number on that old fool. Without you, I NEVER could have gotten past him." Flowey sounded sickeningly sweet, more of a venus fly-trap than the golden flower he appeared to be .

Alice looked appalled at Flowey's words and took a deep breath. If there was one thing that could get her mind back to recognizing what was wrong and right was her temper. Even if it got her into trouble it served as a sort of inner strength that allowed her to stand up for herself and for others. So right now, she knew that she couldn't let Flowey's devious downplaying of what he had done go unchecked. Although she was still shaky and timid about what was going on and what situation she was in, her confidence in speaking was heightened.

"That's a lie! You obviously wished to kill him. If you were able to teleport from the Ruins to here freely you could've gotten past him at anytime. Yet why didn't you?!" Alice asked.

"I'm not THAT powerful to know whether or not King is monitoring over the six human SOULS. He'd have blown up my attacks if he was in peak condition and detected me so getting him so powerless and vulnerable required someone with a SOUL. Someone like you my dear. As much of a traitor I've been told you are, you've been very beneficial for my end scheme. Now with YOUR help… He's DEAD." Flowey's face gruesomely took upon Asgore's smiling face before shifting into a skull void of life.

"...Eep…" Napstablook was now fairly spooked by Flowey's expressions and presence.

"And I'VE got the human SOULS. Like I vowed, I will become a GOD!"

His face disappeared into the blackness briefly as a truthfully sinister cackle filled the atmosphere. Alice was starting to feel guilt reduce her tempered spirits as she had indeed brought the proud king to his grave in a sense. Yet did I truly kill him by leaving him wide open and vulnerable or was this predetermined somehow? Alice thought as she recalled San's stories about previous timelines. In all the skeleton's crypticness, he seemed to have known a variety of possible events that could happen in the Underground and it was Frisk who had taken them all and Alice who had just started to stray away from them. So maybe Sans knew that Asgore's life was at risk and had kept quiet while also not intervening. The matter of why baffled Alice as it almost seemed like Sans was ok with letting the ruler of the Underground die. Or maybe he too would've been left vulnerable had he tried to show up here and thus be easily killed by Flowey. Ultimately Alice's thinking met yet another interruption as Flowey reappeared in a state of twisted euphoria.

"Boy. I've been empty for so long… It feels great to have a SOUL inside me again. Mmm, I can feel them wriggling…" He chuckled in a tone that would've been much more appropriate for Mettaton's true form to use rather than Flowey himself.

"They won't be wriggling for much longer once I free them from your grasp…!" Alice declared.

"... yeah... They don't belong to you. What makes you think you can just use them?" Napstablook joined in as Alice's DETERMINATION grew.

"Aww, you're just saying that because your SOUL is feeling left out, aren't you? Or is it more of your SOULS?" Flowey flashed a dangerous look at Alice.

"...!" Alice couldn't help but twitch in shock at that implication.

Had he figured out Frisk was within her? Or perhaps somehow he had gained omnipotence through the SOULS that were imbued within him? Considering she had spoken to herself the whole time Frisk had held that conversation before the Hall of Judgement, she was a bit distracted and not looking over her surroundings well. If Flowey was capable of such far and quick movement like he displayed just now, then it was likely he could've spotted them. At the same time though, the latter held a disturbing notion and yet seemed more comfortable to Alice. It suggested the reason for Flowey discovering this was not out of mere carelessness on her part but the sheer power that the six human SOULS granted. Ultimately this was a trivial line of thinking given that Napstablook's expression suggested confusion that needed to be cleared up. Flowey wasn't going to let her have it though.

"That's right… you've been a two for one special this whole time. It answers quite a lot actually… like why you happen to be a respectable threat and how you've lasted this long despite your bad attitude and gullible pursuit for knowledge. So now I get two more to add to the six! Heh heh heh... such power is beyond the hopes and dreams for freedom the monsters have! With my newfound powers… Monsters. Humans. Everyone. I'll show them all the REAL meaning of this world." Flowey's stem grew dark with evil as he made his plans plain as day.

"why…? haven't we suffered enough? Aren't you trapped down here too? Isn't getting out what you should want most of all?" Napstablook pushed aside his confusion to beg Flowey for a motive.

"Aww, the cute little ghost is so... STUPID! Humans are included too! Those on the surface are to be my next targets! They'll know the pain they've caused towards us with an eternity of pain. There's something much more entertaining in store for me before we get there... You, Alice get to be the first lucky one to experience what they will!" Flowey's voice seemed slightly vulnerable for a brief moment before he fixated on Alice.

"... W-what do you mean…?" She inquired quietly.

Flowey was reveling in this. He was in clear power and was choosing the right words and phrases to throw both Alice and the ghost off. He wanted them to break under his menace, his devious intent, his cruelty and what he was more than capable of performing now. Alice was now looking very uncertain of herself, a tried witch marching to the gallows. The type of human who had died in the Underground six times before. Fearful, vulnerable, desperate, in the dark, and whose fate lied in the hands of monsters like him. So much had been put into this careful, calculated scheme and it was time to devour its rewards greedily and gleefully.

"Firstly, you can forget about escaping to your old SAVE FILE. It's gone FOREVER. Not that you seemed to ever be aware it existed. In fact, your old friend FLOWEY… Has worked out a replacement for you! I'll SAVE over your own death. So you can watch me tear you to bloody pieces… Over, and over, and over…" Flowey was practically salivating at the chance to cause such a nightmarish situation.

"...Ahhh!" Alice's uncertainty was now becoming frantic fear.

"... i-it's not going to happen… no matter how strong you get…" Napstablook said brave words but his tone exposed much of how Flowey's threats were getting to them.

"...what? Do you really think you can stop ME? Hee hee hee… With a ghost, without a ghost, sparing or being violent… One thing remains painfully clear Alice. You really ARE an idiot." Flowey gave one last taunt to Alice before suddenly his face disappeared into the blackness.

Alice's mind was a jumbled mess at this point. Devastated by the death she had witnessed and the sheer panic of Flowey having made such a gruesome threat and having the upper hand worked in tandem to keep her from trying to regain her composure. She had no idea what she was up against anymore and was stunned at how Flowey did what he had just done. Any DETERMINATION that could be built simply wasn't permitted to under the vulnerability and heavy weight of pressure on her psyche. It left her woefully disadvantaged and Alice knew this. She took slow steps backward, Napstablook gazing at her with sympathy and fear in his expression, inquiring to no one in particular,

"What will happen to me...?"

Suddenly, the six human SOULS that had been safeguarded but now stolen appeared within the darkness one at a time. An unusual noise rang out before the SOULS seemed to form into the shape of a sphere and disappear, perhaps a sign of Flowey utilizing their powers and potential. Instantly afterward, a thunderous sound of something fairly giant landing nearby filled the atmosphere and sent a shockwave that sent Alice sprawling onto the ground. Napstablook jumped in sudden fear at the sound himself and looked around anxiously only to find that the SOULS were gone and that a red light began flashing in the area. The red light barely hid what could only be described as the shadow of a behemoth approaching Alice and him. It had a ghastly shape and size but there were strange details as well such as leafy, branchy arms with claws and what looked like a bird's beak as a mouth. Something sharp and pointed appeared to be moving in a fixed pattern and there appeared to be wings of some sort or electric cords? Napstablook found a great irony in how simple his observations were in comparison to the sheer, undeniable terror of this figure approaching him and Alice. As for Alice…?

"..." Alice had stood to her feet but found herself taking more steps back with her eyes wide as dish plates.

Alice could only see… Her death, prophesied since she fell in the Underground. About to be dealt with positive glee behind it. The terror in her eyes, her pose, her entire being was SO worth it! Finally up, face to face with the pesky little girl and her strange sidekick, I revealed the NIGHTMARE she was about to face! I grinned at her from the screen, looking down at her with the same carefree attitude you could expect from the idiots from Wonderland. Alice flinched further when she saw Flowey's eyes widen into a horrible red iris with green pupils and at this point she was ready to scream. Finally, the darkness shed away only to unleash what it had mercifully tried to hide from her. Green, prickly arms like a cactus with talons colored with dried blood. A gruesome pink snout that mirrored a shark or a crocodile with long nostrils and a terrifying jaw of teeth. Hideous metal links and tubes in the shape of a blossom's petals but only two ominous eyes and the screen that showcased Flowey's face serving as the stigma. A thorny beanstalk seemed to encircle the monster as a sort of crude tiara. Finally, the monstrosity seemed linked to various metal pieces and tubes as though it were a horrendous experiment chained down to the Barrier itself. It was… Nightmare Flowey in the flesh. I looked on delighted as Alice's mouth opened in preparation to shriek in fear. The narrative was going perfectly to my desires… To match that scream and to introduce her to her endless final moments, I gave my signature cackle.

AIEEEEEEEEEEEEEGYAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHIEEEEEEEEEEEEEHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

Any will to fight abandoned at the sight of the most horrifying thing she had seen in her life, Alice made off in a frantic dash. Her goal was to get as far away from Flowy as possible and try not to die. Leaving behind her ghostly friend? What a selfish idiot! Not to mention predictable… To her horror and Napstablook's, a flurry of thorny vines surged out towards her and one managed to clasp onto her ankle in a painful bind before pulling Alice off her feet and into the air. Napstablook had been barely able to process the PERFECT nightmare but seeing his friend in a grave situation got him to react.

"... Alice…!"

"I know your watery tricks spirit…! Do you really think watering the flowers is going to give you an advantage? You should just stay put and watch the fun that's about to happen!" I made sure to put this ghost in his place.

Napstablook shuddered and suddenly felt overwhelmed. He had no way of knowing of course what effect his own magic would have on whatever this monstrosity was. If it truly was as flowery and nature-based as it appeared… then the nature of his tears would serve to have different effects as it would on a Dummy or Sans. Not that tears were ever that potent in the first place. Tears are just a stupid show of weakness and don't have mercurial powers. So all that was left to Napstablook, in his mind that desperately was thinking of other things he could do, was to witness Alice's fate.

The little girl was shrieking in a dreadful fright, helpless like she deserved to be. What possessed her to try to take matters into her own hands? It's so stupid! Anywayssss she deserves to die quickly and excruciatingly. No matter how fast it may be, I can always bring her back and play with her innards and organs again! Rings of my bullets soon formed and several of them pelted the girl in the most painful places I could hope for. Her back, her thigh, one into her head, one into her neck. None of them would prove to be fatal still but it certainly shut her screams up and she flailed upside-down in a tango of pain. Next, I slammed her fiercely onto the ground, using her like a whip with my vines. Three times she was slammed upon to the ground, her cries growing weaker with each blow. I was able to knock off her stupid hairband and perhaps even a tooth! Gyahahahaha! I noticed then that the ghost was attempting to do something, roaring with rage and magical tears running from his eyes like leaky faucets. Talk about a crybaby! From my snout I emitted a powerful blast that knocked him back and seemed to leave him feeling toasty. Even the spectral nature of a ghost is vulnerable to certain kinds of attacks and with my rightful state of power, all manners of attacks were at my disposal. Next I pulled Alice to face me, positively giddy to see her desperate expression.

"... P-please… *cough*... s-sp… *cough* spare…" Judging by how her throat was bleeding and I could see why she was having a hard time sputtering her cowardly request.

Alice was wracked with too much pain for someone her age to endure. Her throat felt silenced, her left leg was killing her, her back was burning with pain and stiffness, her nose was broken, and while it seemed that her head injury was healing well enough through Frisks' gift, she could barely think straight. At this point, she felt defeated and hopeless and could only barely hope that Flowey would give her mercy. It was a fleeting dream and also a futile request but somehow at least making the plea to Flowey gave her some peace of mind. As though if she were about to fall, she would at least die knowing she had tried everything. But… d-did I really try…? Alice thought weakly, knowing that she was probably dying. As hopeless as the situation seemed for the Underground now, Alice could hope for one thing. That when she died, she'd wake up to that moment in the park and see her sister and Dinah again.

"FAT CHANCE THAT'S HAPPENING!" Both to answer her questions and her thoughts, Flowey denied her cruelly.

Does she not get that I am the god of this world now? I think it's time to bestow some divine punishment onto her! Summoning two flamethrowers, streams of flame burnt directly onto her body. Reducing her to ashes was too kind and quick so I made sure that it instead burnt her body juuuuuust right. At some point Napstablook recovered from the blast, which had felt like he had been tasered aggressively, and looked over at the horrific sight of Alice being blasted by flames. The only reprieve from this horrendous sight was that Alice, for all of the pain she was going through, wasn't screaming in horror. Whether she was now numb to the pain or standing proudly defiant, it was a sign of her standing up to Flowey and denying him the pleasure of bringing her down to the level of a helpless victim. But it was not enough to keep Napstablook from beginning to shed real tears, not just tears for an attack. Alice was… She would be… Her fate was to be… GONE TO THE WORLD!

"Now what is that catchphrase of your fantasy land's queen…? The one whose style I admire? Ah yes…" Flowey coyly seemed to decide what to do with the devastated Alice.

Alice was barely recognizable now with her beautiful dress mostly burnt off, the apron completely gone, scorch marks on her body, some of her hair toasted off, and looking frail and helpless. Most of her body seemed unable to be moved by her mind and she could only feel the painful feeling of her ankle being released by a vine and another vine constricting her arms and her waist. She was lifted upright and could find her blurry vision making out the jaws of death. The little girl could barely breathe at this point and all she could imagine right now was this was how Asgore and Asriel must've felt in their final moments. She just now could remember the ones she was leaving behind as they were… Toriel… Sans… Papyrus... Undyne… Alphys… Mettaton… Napstablook… Muffet… So Sorry… Mons-

"OFF WITH HER HEAD!" DIE.

*CRUNCH*

"A-Alice…! A… ALICEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!" Napstablook wailed, the loudest volume he had ever reached in his life.

GAME OVER. This is all just a bad dream… And you're NEVER waking up! Flowey's snout licked its lips as the face on the screen laughed maniacally for what seemed like a full minute before tossing Alice's suddenly headless corpse towards Napstablook. The charred body landed face-down and broken right before the ghost. Blood oozed out in the same horrific fashion as a violent movie death… but the message was so much more severe and heartbreaking. Napstablook didn't dare look but he did sob heavily, for all was lost. His friend… the king… possibly Mettaton's dreams… their freedom once more. All by the demented roots and thorns of this Flowey… Napstablook heaved in his sobs and breaths, soon feeling a great anger mixed in with his despair. Flowey continued to laugh once more as Napstablook leered furiously and finally spoke out,

"Shut up! h-how… w-why… what possessed you in your life to d-do this horrible… horrible deed…?!"

Yeesh, what a killjoy. Not that I can blame the ghost for having nothing better to do. The little brat should've RESET by now… I faced him with a condescending expression, suitable for a lowly monster like him.

"Gosh I have no idea. But you know me, I got lots of LV to go around. It was my goal to seize the power of the human SOULS but imagine waiting for the opportune time that the seven required humans would come down here so I can take their SOULS and break the Barrier." Flowey sneered.

"... you disgust me… t-there's so much more to humans than just their SOULS… m-mettaton understood that and you… you just TRAMPLED over Alice's existence like it was dirt! y-you won't be able to defeat the others who are still around… undyne-"

"She'll be trampled over too. Really all of them deserve it. Monsters suck. Humans suck. It's a pretty crazy life cycle. You should thank me, as god of this world I'll make things better suited to my philosophy. Kill or be killed." I interrupted his elitist, self-righteous attempt at building hope.

"... wahhhh…" My words seemed to break him quite easily as he leaned over Alice's corpse like some sort of cat, sobbing.

As tempting as it would be to RESET now, seeing as I still had so many ideas in mind of how to slaughter the little girl, I decided to see how far I could push this ghost now. Who knows? Having SOULS within me again made me feel just a teensy bit more sympathetic and a teensy bit more up for having some allies. Like they said, this was the ultimate best case scenario. The power to commit violence endlessly and take this story and run away with it. Show them what this world and DETERMINATION can really do… Moving forward, I surrounded the ghost and his dead buddy with a thicket of thorns. I cooed to him curiously,

"So what even is your name?"

"... why do you… *sob* want to know…?" He replied after some more pitiful sobs.

"Well I would simply love to know the name of my next play thing!~ Regardless of whether you end up alive or passed on by the end of this, I'm going to enjoy having a great time with you ghostie!"

Napstablook looked up to notice Flowey's face on the screen was making a perverted, inappropriate expression at him. It was taunting, mocking, and obviously meant to make him squirm. Napstablook didn't want to abandon the act of mourning just to argue against this fallen god but it did allow him to think of something important. What was his name these days? Napstablook yes, but Alice had shortened it to 'Napsta'. It had been a surprising nickname that not even Mettaton had thought of (He'd like to call him 'Blooky' after all) but it fit Alice's formal way of speaking. Napstablook accepted it with grace but was there any other reason for accepting it? Perhaps a chance to signify a sort of tenderness between her and him…? Something about this was reminding him of what Sans had seemed to be foreshadowing...

'"please alice… i don't want you to feel you absolutely have to do something to appease me. if you can find the other way to break the barrier without bloodshed then that'll mean much more to me than not having to RESET for one reason or another." Sans winked at her.'

'"you know alice… if i were you, i would've thrown in the towel by now. but you didn't get this far by giving up, did you? you've made strong allies and you have the "determination" in your heart to see this through. as long as you hold onto that, i believe you can do the right thing. and that ghostfriend of yours can help you through it." Sans spoke the last part with a strange playfulness that Alice couldn't understand.'

'"oh... um… sure… i'll do my best." Napstablook appeared unusually flustered but perhaps it was out of nerves.'

"... Napstablook. 'Napsta' or 'Blooky' for short." Napstablook answered carefully as something was made aware to him.

Sans had said he'd been through this many times, this multiple timeline theory that was confusing but seemed accurate. He'd gone on about this one being so different, with Alice being the human who'd fallen into the Underground. He had denied Alice promising to RESET and had let Napstablook go with Alice this time around. At first he thought he was being a charitable gentleman and thought Alice could use some company but what if he had been making preparations for a worst-case scenario? That Alice would lose her DETERMINATION at the sheer horror of Asgore's death and this corrupted garden that looked at him surprised at the response.

"Well that's less on the nose than FLOWEY the FLOWER I guess. Still it's good to meet you new buddy. We could really do some damage together… unless you'd prefer not to. In which case you might be joining Alice here in the afterlife." Honestly what kind of stupid nickname is 'Blooky'?

Napstablook's mental gears moved quicker this time. He soon came to the conclusion that Alice not having the experience of going through multiple timelines was much more innocent and impressionable that it made a point on how such horrible events would break her or at least scare her into a state where she was helpless. Exactly like what happened just now with her not being able to respond properly and fight. Sans wanted Napstablook to go with her to be able to help her through this traumatic experience and make certain that MERCY could still win even against such despair. That Alice wouldn't be so vulnerable and frail and be able to continue to be DETERMINED against such overwhelming odds. That realization of the big duty that Napstablook was entrusted with by Sans that could save Alice and defeat Flowey… filled him with DETERMINATION. More DETERMINATION than what was thought possible. If Flowey was merely waiting for Alice to RESET then why couldn't Napstablook just do so early? A bold but fate-changing decision was made on his part.

"I'd rather hurt YOU." Napstablook gave his first real threat to someone.

Before Flowey could retaliate properly, Napstablook channeled all his power, all his DETERMINATION, into shaping two large hands of ghostly energy. In his heightened state of power, he was able to shape these constructs directly without needing to shed tears to form them first. Their texture also changed from the serenity of water to the firmness and sheen of ice. He could also feel himself suddenly feeling as though his body was on fire, burning with power and intensity. A change was overcoming him which normally would scare him but would never nearly be as scary as seeing Alice's death. What the hell…? This power… DETERMINATION… how can this feeble ghost be able to have so much of it? Is he seriously pulling an Undyne on me?! I could only furiously stare as the two hands he summoned reached into Alice's corpse and pulled out the two human SOULS I longed to have. Of course I would've gotten to these SOULS eventually before I did a RESET but it seemed this ghost was doing something crazy. They were looking kind of crazy too as an irritating golden sheen covered their form. I was wondering if he was about to kamikaze himself to destroy me or something but what I got instead surprised me,

"RESET!" The gall of this Blooky…

FILE LOADED.

Any will to fight abandoned at the sight of the most horrifying thing she had seen in her life, Alice made off in a frantic dash. Her goal was to get as far away from Flowy as possible and try not to die. The moment she took those steps though… she felt a great wave of nausea and then confusion overcome her. She stopped still and held her neck and chest with concern as she felt as though she had experienced something equivalent to King Asgore's death. This sudden fatigue and soreness made Alice's head clear of thoughts of running away and instead curiousity and also puzzlement. Where are all these feelings come from…? It was far from the most startling thing that she noticed when she suddenly noticed a minor golden sheen to her right that seemed to be building in radiance. When she looked over, she was stunned to see Napstablook in a majestic new form. His body, normally a faint white was now much more golden and seemed to sparkle faintly as though it were ice. He wore his Dapper Hat again but this time there was a rose corsage adornment on the hat that showed fancifulness and chicness. But there was an unmistakable brave aura about him that was the most surprising. Alice never doubted Napstablook's courage yet he didn't exude courage like say Undyne would. Now he radiated the nobility and DETERMINATION of a brave warrior. Still it felt so sudden for him to change like this and why had he done so?

"Napstablook…?" She asked, her voice sounding slightly calmer than before.

Napstablook hadn't known how to RESET and he assumed that Alice had no idea either. After all, when Sans had brought up the foreign concept to both of them, it had sounded like it had been used for a negative purpose and Alice seemed willing to not use it. Yet Napstablook could gather vaguely that it needed the power of the human SOULS. If Alice and the SOUL inside her had the power to RESET on their own, then Napstablook figured if he could take their SOULS and unleash their power, a RESET was possible for even a monster like him. DETERMINATION empowered, he had successfully turned back time to the beginning of the fight and based on Flowey now hesitating to attack, Flowey was fully aware of this. Alas, there was no time to waste. Alice would die in the state she was in now. Napstablook needed to calm her down but was aware Flowey would start attacking soon. Harnessing his magic in ways that felt familiar yet were completely new to him, he surrounded himself and Alice in a protective field of frozen tears. A beautiful sphere of white that seemed to taunt Flowey's ugly nature.

"Harrumph. Fine. Try and see if your overdose of DETERMINATION will get you far. Not even a ghost can handle that much!" Determined to bring his power-trip down a notch, I taunt him and started to attack the barrier with a flurry of vines and bullets.

"Napsta… what's happened?" Alice asked as she regarded her friend within this strange barrier.

"alice... I had to RESET the timeline with your SOUL… and the other one. flowey killed you… and i was powerless to stop it… the power needed to save you… requires me to give it my all. but the power needed to defeat him is something you have to come through with…" Napstablook felt playing word games wouldn't help Alice face her fears quickly and thus he spoke frankly with her.

"N-no…" Alice froze.

It was impossible to fathom she had just been murdered but the strange soreness, and the fact that this scenario seemed different yet all too familiar did make the conclusion possible. She knew she should be thanking Napstablook deeply but the revelation of death was horrifying. Too much. Nightmarish. He was asking her to come through with levels of power comparable to that of a demon who had stolen human SOULS and appeared like a twisted god. He dwarfed her and she knew it. If I died so quickly and carelessly… then isn't that the destined outcome of this encounter? How do I possess a chance to win? Alice thought as she stared at Napstablook. His almost angelic appearance gave her some comfort but not enough to confidently challenge Flowey. Perhaps that is why another voice she hadn't heard in a while offered his own source of motivation.

Napstablook is right Alice… I wasn't able to heal you efficiently or keep your DETERMINATION steady and usable because of your distress and the ferocity and speed of Flowey's attacks. It's a dangerous battle yes but not impossible. You have to believe in yourself. Frisk spoke.

"B-but he killed Asgore… I… I'm just a little girl… I-I've only lasted this long by following everyone's advice! Sometimes I seldom followed it but... I'd have been dead much sooner had I not *sob* learned to use magic or mercy. I wish I could go home… *sob* I wish you all could go home to the surface you've been denied from for so long… but maybe it really is impossible…" Alice started to cry tearfully into her hands.

I hate to ask you of so much when you are understandably shaken and sad Alice. But I want you to think about everything you've endured thus far. That little girl who didn't follow everyone's advice stopped herself from sacrificing herself and believing that her life was a crime. She took matters into her own hands and did things I didn't think of doing. She never once succumbed to the temptation of using violence and didn't gain any LV. Alice, you did the impossible before. You used your imagination in tandem with DETERMINATION to unleash things I was never capable of and created a full-length Wonderland that has kept you and your future bright. You also forgave the monsters enough to want to free them despite all we've done against you. That level of mercy is far and beyond the level of Flowey's violence. Don't let his appearance fool you… you can beat him. Show him that this world isn't kill or be killed. Frisk spoke earnestly and compassionately from the heart.

"... Alice… i have believed in you ever since we first met in the Ruins. The seemingly impossible is nothing to you. And… i know you are scared. i'm scared too since i don't know what'll happen to me after using this much power… But we can win if we work together… Asgore truly wanted peace for us rather than violence… show the flower the true meaning of that wish!" Napstablook, who was holding up the barrier impressively well against Flowey's onslaught, spoke earnestly and compassionately from the heart.

Alice pulled her hands away in surprise. The truth in their words was 'You have done so many amazing and impossible things and we believe you can stand up to him and prove pacifism can save the Underground.' It was hard for her to accept it in the wake of the king's unintended death and this horrific nightmare aiming for her life, but the evidence was there. It wasn't like the skewed court case in Wonderland where she was guilty of making the queen lose her temper, the evidence of what she had done and was capable of was all presented. She could very well survive on her own with the others helping her and believing in her. It was as simple as that. For what seemed like the umpteenth time but was no less a pleasant sensation… Alice was filled with DETERMINATION. She wiped her tears away and looked at Napstablook. Napstablook the DETERMINED. YOUR best friend. Together, and with Frisk's SOUL within hers, they could win this.

"... I'm sorry for showing weakness Napstablook in the wake of your strength. I won't yield to this murderer… not until he has paid for his crimes." Alice's stance was no longer petrified but powerful.

Napstablook nodded confidently, ignoring the strange sensations he felt that were growing slightly more painful by the second. His DETERMINATION was what Alice needed right now and it would be their shield. Napstablook dispersed the ice barrier in time to see Nightmare Flowey looked irate. Damn this! Blooky's power is unusually stronger now. Granted I've just been playing around but now it's time to get serious! Perhaps I don't need to play as much if I have two strong opponents to slay… Alice and Napstablook observed that the strange, staticky image of a creepy face was replaced with a flashing red light and golden words that said 'WARNING'. The teal SOUL was also shown on screen as if it was declaring that the SOUL was in danger or about to be unleashed in some capacity. Napstablook was a bit taken aback as this was not something that happened in the brief and gruesome skirmish of the last timeline but wondered if there was something more to this than just an attack. Alice gulped as well, prepared to fight but still anxious about what Flowey would use against her. They will be pierced by the blades of aggression and desperation! The knowledge of their patience being for naught as it has continued to this day!

A strange rondo of spinning knives appeared and seemed to be moving in tandem to cut Alice and Napstablook down. Flowey's form vanished in the darkness but the television screen didn't, displaying the teal SOUL. Alice could deduce as she began to make her way safely around the knives that he was harnessing each SOUL in a coordinated attack against her. These SOULS were individual humans once upon a time so… it made sense for their attacks to be unique and a reflection of their pain and journey. If only there was a way to make amends for their deaths, Alice thought sadly. Napstablook was able to float easily out of their way but helped to guide Alice into the path of safety. Alice suddenly noticed a strange screen amidst the knives that said 'ACT'. When she grabbed onto it, she sensed as though she had called for help mentally to the SOUL. What happened shortly afterward was fairly extraordinary. The knives transformed into green bandages that surged towards Alice, being absorbed and rejuvenating her in the process. It had happened so suddenly that Alice didn't understand what had just transpired yet when she began to think about it, she drew a conclusion. The six SOULS who were to be pitted against her by Flowey had some free will or awareness on how they were being used. Alice was currently in a very similar situation that they likely had been when they were killed and her cries for help were reaching them and allowed them to sympathize with her. Not wanting her to suffer their same fate, they turned against Flowey with enough willpower to change the nature of their attack into a supportive ability. I have to take advantage of this to sustain through this battle, Alice thought, and hopefully allow them to fully rebel against Flowey.

"...The human SOUL helped us…" Napstablook had come up with a similar thought process to Alice.

"RIDICULOUS!" Such a thing is blasphemous! They only obey ME!

I refused to let these outcasts defeat me with a loophole so I unleashed an onslaught of bombs that flew at them with furious anger. I could see Alice materialize a golden knights sword in her hand that looked far too good for her as Blooky conjured a shelter of ice in front of them that managed to endure the explosions. Even if that power would soon prove to be too much for the ghost to handle, it didn't deter the fact it would be troublesome to break through. Luckily enough, I was able to sneak in a swarm of bloodthirsty flies behind the icy barrier to start biting at Alice. Alice winced as she felt them biting on her arms and legs and leaving bite marks that bled slightly through the newfound holes in her stockings. They flew away after they had done their devious deed. Napstablook growled at this and dispersed the remains of the wall to transform into piercing shards of frozen tears. Then he smashed them into what looked like bramble monsters with giant mouths zigzagging towards them. Alice was also able to slash through one of them just as more bombs appeared overhead. Alice found herself barely able to throw herself out of the way of their explosive impact while Napstablook decided to make an offensive move. A mighty glacier of magic emerged from the ground and rammed into Flowey, distracting him from using his next attack though unfortunately only dealt minor damage. It appeared his durability was vastly improved in addition to his offensive lethalness. For his last attack before another human SOUL flashed on the screen (This time it was the orange one), strange plant stems with finger guns blossomed on his arms and fired the stems at Alice and Napstablook in a left to right volley from both sides. Alice was able to dodge these surprisingly easily as Napstablook floated over to her side while Flowey crushed the glacier under the tight grip of some vines. Enough playing around! They will be smashed by hands of cowardice and resignation! Like the human before it who thought being brave made them immune from being killed!

Strange gloved hands with eyes on them appeared in an intricate rotation. It was an unusually elegant pattern for something like Flowey to unleash but Alice was able to smoothly navigate her way even when they closed off some of her available options on where to go. She called once more for help, knowing that the SOUL in question wanted more than just to be used as a tool to harm. After a flash, the gloves changed their shape into that of a thumbs up and the eye was replaced with a reassuring heart. Their emerald hue was able to heal Alice's bug bites as she ran into them and Napstablook gave a relieved smile at the fact this battle was starting to show a pattern to itself. As opposed to Flowey's insidious and aggressive manuevers, it seemed that with Alice focused, Flowey's arrogance was placing himself against them on a more level playing field. That would be where they could turn the tide and momentum of victory in their favor. Flowey's screen showcased that the blue SOUL was next to be faced just as the onslaught resumed again. Flowey sent an array of bullets and thorny vines to pierce and entangle Alice respectively but something odd happened as Alice was attempting to dodge them. When she seemingly got out of the way of one, she found herself somehow teleported back to the spot she was in moments prior. You are not the only ones with the potential to RESET. The files of this world are mine to command! Even a small moment in time is saved and reloaded as is the power of a god! I smirked wickedly at seeing the little girl rattled by my file manipulating and watching her get hit unexpectedly by my attacks even when she thought she was safe. Blooky discharged the attacks with a circlet of whatever ice magic he seems to be using nowadays but the damage was done. I can just feel the SOUL ready to crush Alice who was holding her shot arm wimpily and had cuts all over her stupid dress and apron. This SOUL had integrity but had their own integrity tarnished by the Underground. Their dance of DETERMINATION was now a rondo of mercilessness.

Alice barely had time to nurse her very sore right arm which had been pierced by the bullet before she found herself forced onto the ground as though Papyrus had just turned her SOUL blue. It certainly stays true to the color-coded attacks, Alice thought dispirited but with a touch of humor. Worse still was that suddenly she found that enormous ballet-shoes and stars were hovering over her with the shoes systematically stepping down on pointe to potentially crush her. Napstablook seemed unaffected by the SOUL'S aura though and was able to freeze some of the shoes in place, keeping them from stomping downward. With this assistance, Alice crawled slowly forward until she found the 'ACT' screen and cried out for help. As soon as all the ballet shoes were stopped, they suddenly lifted upward and unveiled green musical notes of the Quaver/Eighth variety. Alice got to her feet and ran through as many as she could, finding relief when the pain in her arm was significantly reduced by the end. Regrettably it still didn't mask the newfound hole in her arm that still bled, nor the cuts in her clothes. She was proud to still be alive but she was worried at this point about scars and whether or not there was a clear way to defeat Flowey. Napstablook was also feeling a bit more strain now when using his magical attacks. we have to make for an offensive push after all these SOULS have been pacified, he thought. They certainly are a defiant pair… why the hell did he decided to aid her? Humans are husks of bottled-up emotions, violence, and selfishness and she was no better than any of the others. No better than the other human SOUL she kidnapped… I'll finish her off and claim both of them for myself! That is the definition of the will to live! After being bombarded with another round of previous attacks, and unfortunately getting caught in a painful beam blast from Flowey's mouth, the purple SOUL announced it was ready. They thought they could persevere with wisdom and fancy words. All they found was that words alone couldn't save them from becoming the fourth SOUL taken for the Barrier to break!

This time Alice was pinned in by walls of tomes that encircled around her and the books seemed to spew out word-shaped bullets of negative descriptions. 'Despair', 'Trapped', 'Terror'... all feelings Alice had experienced so far in her adventure. But beyond all that, this was the one that was the most despair-inducing and terrifying and if she let herself be trapped here, then all she had strived for would be for naught. She found her right arm was tender to move but her left arm, still clutching the Vorpal Blade, was able to cut through those words that threatened to hurt her. Napstablook watched from up above, now panting in some exhaustion and from pain that was accumulating during this battle. He decided he needed to conserve some magic and energy and was pleased to see Alice was faring off against the purple SOUL's attacks with discipline and ease. As she triggered the 'ACT', the words transformed into healing, positive words like 'Mercy', 'Hope', 'Dreamer', and 'Create'. These were traits that Alice had displayed in a variety of ways from the dreaming and creation of her own Wonderland to the mercy and hope she carried with her when encountering the Underground's residents. It seemed the human SOULS were beginning to understand Alice's pure intent as well as Napstablook's own intent to free and save his home and friends… Dammit… I only have two more SOULS to unleash upon them and not even my own attacks are finishing them off! I'm supposed to have the capabilities of a GOD! They are beneath me in every way! I've already won once! I cannot lose!

"Why continue to fight Flowey?! The SOULS are beginning to realize your malevolent intent and will turn against you!" Alice, feeling some sudden inspiration on a tactic to try, taunted Flowey.

Witch… I'm not answering that. I have no reason to worry. Had they had any potential to turn against me, they would've turned on Asgore long ago! Flowey's slight grimace as he began to manipulate files to save and load in the middle of the fight did show to Alice he was beginning to feel either frustrated or vulnerable. Letting Flowey get more careless would surely make him take more reckless and less calculated measures to win. With a bit more preparation of this reality manipulating and time displacing attack in mind, Alice found better success in dodging the vines and bullets. Napstablook on the other hand felt that he was getting slightly slower in battle but was able to surround himself in a protective veil of ice that blocked the bullets and deflected the vines. Soon the fifth and second to last SOUL of the six that Flowey had absorbed flashed a warning on Flowey's screen for the two comrades to take note of. It may be green but it won't be healing them this time nor will they show any kindness. A pathetic cook who couldn't even measure up to Papyrus… their fall will create another!

Out of the frying pan and into the fire seemed to be taken quite literally with this attack. Alice found fireballs being shot out from three large frying pans and falling onto where she and Napstablook were standing. They moved relatively slowly but came in many numbers so a small barrage of flames forced Alice to throw herself out of harm's way and roll along the ground before hurriedly standing up again to dodge the next wave. Napstablook wasn't so lucky though as he got hit by a fireball and was sent crashing onto the ground. Alice managed to reach the 'ACT' with a lucky leap when she saw him lying on the ground.

"Napsta are you alright?!"

Napstablook wanted to tell the truth. That he was beginning to feel as though he was having some kind of heartburn and that his vision was going blurry, and that Flowey's attacks were making his endurance feel strained and incapable of holding it together. In fact he was starting to get a bit more lightheaded. Yet he was still sharp enough to understand the importance of keeping morale high and knowing that Alice couldn't break again. So he lied,

"... nothing Mettaton wouldn't have been able to handle."

"*Giggle* I know he'd be so proud of how far you've come. We're going to return to him I swear!" Alice remarked as she saw the flames transform into purifying green eggs.

Napstablook managed to catch a few but it only helped a little bit in terms of healing his wounds and fatigue. It was Alice's words that provided greater relief that managed to overcome the increasing sense of being disconnected from reality… As Napstablook managed a smile, Flowey once again stepped into the light with a noticeable aggravated expression. The bullets, the flies, the flames, and the bramble monsters (Deneta as Frisk seemed to analyze) all came harder, faster, and seemingly stronger. But even if Alice and Napstablook took a few hits… Grr… they are still standing! Where am I going wrong?! There's no way they could be lasting this long, not after that pathetic first run where I slew her like it was nothing! This is abnormal… inhuman! That ghost and that girl working together against me… I'll need to save my trump card for last! I still have one more SOUL that'll tear into them! This gold soul came with his own gun, swearing on his life it would be used for justice! Too bad for him the Underground's sense of justice is kill or be killed and they became the final death before HE and SHE came here!

Alice and Napstablook found themselves quite literally staring right into the face of a gun. Strange pinpointers of an orange hue appeared near or on top of the duo and in blinding speed, large bullets shot from the gun towards them. The gun and tracker deceptively followed their movements as well, making it harder for them to avoid the attack. One such bullet grazed Alice's back as she tried to dodge, leaving a tear in the back of her dress and leaving a painful cut. Alice winced and let out a cry of pain as she fell to one knee, fighting back tears to not give Flowey any sort of satisfaction. Napstablook constructed a protective wall around Alice as he saw the 'ACT' appear close by to his location. Without wasting a precious second, he flew for it and found with his DETERMINATION, he could activate it himself and called for help from the final SOUL. Napstablook did take a bullet as soon as he had managed to contact with the ACT button, it not being able to pierce him like it nearly did to Alice but it did knock him to the ground where he found it hard to force himself up. Time is running out, he thought with a whimper. Fortunately, the gun shifted as the SOUL was released from Flowey's delusion, shooting out green four-leaf clovers with the same healing properties as all things green and SOUL-related. Alice moved out from the cover, weakly limping over and found a great relief when the green energy managed to start healing up her cut and significantly reducing the pain she was feeling. The screen then showcased the teal SOUL, the very first one, which could only mean that something different was going to occur.

"I think… we may have gotten through to them." Alice rationalized as she started to recover her energy.

Indeed, when the screen went into static, the next image that appeared was the same yellow SOUL they had just faced. Then all six previous SOULS in their vibrant hues appeared in a circle before spiraling off the screen and forming a ring surrounding Alice and Napstablook (Who managed to float over but was hovering low to the ground). Compared to the first ever ring of magic Alice found herself in when she came to the Underground, the ring of bullets Flowey had threatened her with, there was a safe and hopeful atmosphere about this one. These SOULS no longer wished to be used for evil and had long desired a peaceful afterlife that had been denied regretfully by Asgore and the efforts of the Underground. If they could find freedom and ascension by aiding Alice and stopping this madman with their own powers and free will, they would go at it with everything they had. Alice knew this sort of reasoning was a bit fantastical but it seemed justified when the SOULS started emitting their respective healing magics. Flowers, eggs, words of encouragement, band-aids, musical notes, and thumbs up all served to help Alice feel 100% and Napstablook feel like he could push through the pain in order to finally stop this nightmare.

"This is it Napstablook, we must go at Flowey with everything we got now… without the six of them bending to his will, he should be just as vulnerable as he was when he was an ordinary flower." Alice spoke with a courage and maturity that she understood was a vital trait that the Underground had taught her.

"... i won't hesitate ever again…" Napstablook whispered these words to himself as he nodded in full agreement.

As the six SOULS swirled off into the blackness, another staticky image from Flowey's screen appeared. Then the light once again came and Nightmare Flowey emerged as he had been doing repeatedly in this long battle. This time though, the universe and Frisk heralded a new development. Flowey's DEFENSE dropped to 0! Alice smiled confidently. She had been thinking carefully ever since she learned she could summon the denizens of Wonderland to aid her through DETERMINATION about what would be the strongest character? In regards to combat that is to say, she corrected herself almost immediately. One came to mind quite quickly, the one creature that even the Queen of Hearts had feared. The one creature who had pointed out to her that some went this way, and others went that way. The one who always had a shortcut in mind and a cheeky grin that never betrayed what deep intentions and motives he had for how he acted. A great friend and a dangerous foe...

"Come forth, Cheshire Cat!" Alice declared his name with full intent of scaring Flowey to his very core.

What the hell is this…?! I feel so weakened! Those SOULS failed me and now they freaking crippled me! Curse them! And what the hell is a Chesh-

"OWW!" Flowey found himself hit where he least expected… from behind.

Several tubes that were hooked to him and part of his stalks were sliced through by an array of large golden stripes, stripes made of pure DETERMINATION. Despite being stripes, they had been fined into graceful blades that had appeared and lashed out from behind Flowey's back and now began to line up in a row. 10 of them in total had done the deed and struck the first notable hits to Flowey's still respectable health pool. They then began to coil with one another, linking to form a ring as a golden light radiated across the bottom and upwards towards the top to form a shape. It was an obese shape with small claws, a long fluffy tail, small ears, and unmistakingly feline in nature from the shape of its head to the paws. When it reached the top, it had no face as it struck a showy pose as though announcing its arrival. Then finally a large and yet cheerfully curved grin of bared teeth appeared on its face slowly and almost ominously. Then finally two small eyes and eyebrows came into being, the golden hues contrasting to showcase it's large irises. The being of Wonderland with an omnipotent knowledge of the land and a penchant for playing around had made himself known and never broke his signature grin as he stared at the befuddled Flowey. A cat?! This is insane! Three things to deal with and my defenses down?! It can't all end here! I didn't mastermind this long and wait for such perfect opportunities to let my philosophy DIE here! Mercy. Cannot. WIN!

"Go!" Napstablook signaled the charge.

Instinctively, Nightmare Flowey unleashed a never-ending wave of bullets at the same time as Napstablook materialized ghostly shapes made of frozen tears that flew as a batallion towards the behemoth. Likewise, the Cheshire Cat also made his own move. Pulling off his head in a uncharacteristically easy way and without any noticeable pain, he tossed it in the same manner as one would a boomerang towards Flowey. Several of the ghosts collided with and dispersed the bullets but the remaining ghosts hit Flowey fairly hard and then the Cheshire Cat's head striked Flowey across the mouth, inciting moans of pain from him. Alice found that with several of the bullets blocked and the pattern becoming predictable, dodging them was becoming easier but she was also beginning to feel very tired. Luckily, more green magic from the SOULS seemed to mix themselves in with the bullets and provided enough stamina for her to keep going on. As the Cheshire Cat caught his returning head, he then suddenly vanished before gold paw-prints appeared on the ground. One took a step forward before suddenly multiple footprints were taken forward towards Flowey at great speed. Then suddenly Flowey was roughly tackled onto the ground as he felt a mighty force pounce on him. The Cheshire Cat appeared into view and grinned proudly before biting into Flowey's left eyeball, savagely tearing into it. GAHHYAHHAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! The damage… how can it be this high…?! Even the ghost is doing enough to harm me…! There's no use playing it safe now! I refuse to give an inch! Flowey roared in pain before he summoned bombs and flames to blow the Cheshire Cat off of him in a significant explosion. The Cat crashed behind Alice, and Alice now had to find herself dodging more stems and vines, her Vorpal Blade barely able to cut through most of the attacks.

"You look rattled Flowey…!" She shouted as she cut through a few projectiles before narrowly leaping out of the way of some vines.

Napstablook on the other hand was numbing the pain he was feeling right now with the joy of being able to bring pain to this monstrosity. Staying weary of the flames and the Denetas, he rained down shards of ice onto Flowey, forcing Flowey to lash Napstablook away with a vine. By now Nightmare Flowey was already down to half health much to his great displeasure. A new attack soon developed in which rings of the infamous bullets started to encircle and then fly out towards Alice with the threat of riddling her with holes all over her body. The little girl was now sweating at this point as she desperately dodged each and every attack to the best of her ability. Even with the best intentions a bullet here, a vine there, and a surging flame managed to hit her but the green magic came in timely fashion to heal her up. Meanwhile, the Cheshire Cat went back on the offensive, it's main body dissolving until it became the ten stripes once more and swooped in to hack at Flowey. Sweeping and swerving with impressive speed, two pairs five blades sliced through each of Flowey's branched arms, the appendages crashing to the ground as the stripes now hovered over Flowey. The bestial blossom gaped in defiance, trying to ignore the fact his health pool was dropping fast, before the stripes once again linked together and formed the Cheshire Cat in a fast manner. Then the Cat pounced on him, hissing furiously and claws bared as it managed to pierce through the other eye and start clawing at the screen in feral fashion. Flowey's vision was now nearly blinded and furthermore he could feel excruciating agony at what he was enduring. All the while, Napstablook had came to Alice's side and formed another shield to protect her from the onslaught Flowey was trying to unleash upon her. It was no use, Flowey's health had shockingly reached zero as the cat was now tearing off metal with merciless conviction.

"No… NO! This CAN'T be happening! You… YOU…" Flowey seemed to be signaling that he was finally defeated.

Napstablook was tempted to drop down the icy barrier but he felt that if he did so, they'd only end up like Asgore. Furthermore, he was at a point where he felt as though he was about to go to sleep. The DETERMINATION he had summoned in overwhelming amounts was breaking apart his body. He could feel the bottom half of his body dissolving slightly at the edges and even still he had no intent of letting Alice worry about him. Not until it was safe her to feel at peace again. Alice in the meantime peeked around the corner of the icy barrier. She was hopeful that her and Frisk's combined DETERMINATION, the support of the six SOULS, and the newfound power Napstablook had brought to the table had fully finished Flowey off. She was hopeful that she had perhaps truly avenged not only their tragic fates but also Asgore's very much recent death. What she wasn't hopeful about was how the Barrier was to be broken now but surely-

FILE 3 LOADED. DUN DUN DUN! MAN am I good troll or what?! Creating and loading a file where none of their attacks ever harmed me and my defense was never brought down to 0?! Easiest trick in the book! It's the sort of privilege only I deserve after what I've put into this! My body reformed to my full form as though nothing ever happened and the cat creature stared downward with his smile broken into an amusing stunned expression. I could see fully now, feel fully now, and was at my strongest! Maybe I did underestimate how deadly their team-up would be but even then, they were stupid enough to develop a false sense of security around me. ME! I could only see Alice's wide eyes peeking from behind the cover Blooky made but even then I could tell she was ready to tremble and wail just as she was before I charred and chomped her head off.

"You IDIOT." Now then, first order of business…

FILE 3 LOADED. A full-force beam of energy blasted the cat creature off of me and disintegrated it into worthless golden dust! The Cheshire Cat did some damage alright but it's nothing that a god-like being at full power can't handle. Then it was time for a certain duo to meet their maker! Vine. Beam. Vine. Beam. Vine. Beam. Vine. Beam. Vine beam. Vine beam. Vinebeamvinebeamvinebeamvinebeamvinebeamvinebeam! FILE! 3! LOADED! … FILE 6 SAVED.

"Hee hee hee. Did you REALLY think... you and your ghost could defeat me?! I am the GOD of this world! And YOU? You're HOPELESS. Hopeless with one of you about to pass on for good…" I began to deliver the last rites.

The ice barrier and the Vorpal Blade had been destroyed after the fourth barrage of vines and beams and now Alice lay within an inch of her life, dispirited, and fragile on the ground. The cruel mercy of this constant loading and saving as it would had left her with only the wounds and torn marks she had sustained before Flowey's defense had dropped to 0 but her morale was now very low to match her health. What on earth did he mean by one of us is about to pass on…? Alice thought slowly and worriedly as she turned to look at Napstablook who had endured the attacks with her. To her horror, she saw that his body was fading away as though he was a mirage slowly dispersing as a cloud came to cover the light. Napstablook for his worth, smiled weakly at her, lying on the ground and looking unafraid. Half of his body was dissolved and was seemingly evaporating before her eyes but he carried hope in his eyes. Alice began to feel frantic again and started tearing up but Napstablook shushed her surprisingly gently,

"Shhhhh… I know… w-what you are going to say Alice… I know… you are going to l-lament… but this is just a price I paid to save your life…"

"W-what on earth do you mean…?" Alice asked in horrified wonder and sadness as she suddenly noticed that a ring of bullets had surrounded her and him at Flowey's command.

"Monsters… can't normally handle this amount of DETERMINATION… n-not without a human SOUL to aid them… and even a ghost like me… has to follow some r-rules of magic…"

"W-where are you going…? Are you… passing onto heaven? I mean… t-this just can't happen yet… and not to you! Mettaton will be expecting you to return! You gave him hope again and forgave him and… and you are my hope! I-" The little girl's tears that she had fought back during the battle now unveiled in a runny mess down her face.

"... It may not entirely be the end for you… or for me... I'm not sure… I just know that… you'll live and free the Underground the way you desired all along… and that no one else has to die… I've grown so much thanks to you Alice… and you still have things to do… please know that you have the power to-" Napstablook unfortunately ran out of time.

In a selfless measure, he didn't lament his fate and he had no real reason to. He had fulfilled the role Sans had entrusted him to do to the best of his ability. Even though Flowey had insidiously turned the tables once again on her and him as a result, he was still determined. Determined that this wasn't set in stone yet… and so he felt himself being carried away and going to sleep eternally… music playing in his heart. Alice saw his body completely fade away into nothingness, as though he was never really there but rather an illusion before her eyes. Despite this… she knew with all the certainty in the world, he was here at her side still and had always been since the battle started. He HAD saved her. Yet this by no means dulled the pain or the tears echoing in her heart and mind.

Alice I'm so sorry… Frisk apologized as Alice found herself unable to speak and with great regret had to hear her sorrowful tears of loss. Emboldened by this, Flowey continued,

"Ah gee, there he goes. Stubborn for a spirit but he reaped what he sowed! Golly, that's right! Your WORTHLESS friends… … can't save you now. Call for help. I dare you. Cry into the darkness! "Mommy! Daddy! Sister!" "Somebody help!" See what good it does you!"

The pitiful princess didn't say a word but rather sobbed loudly and with the composure of a hyena. It was an ugly sight on her part but perfectly satisfying to see. She cried for help. … But nobody came.

"Boy! What a shame! Nobody else… Is gonna get to see you DIE!" My red and green eyes matched my grin, mocking her the same way the Cheshire Cat had done to me.

I cackled hideously as I watched Alice curl up into a ball, hugging herself as though she was wishing for some miracle to occur. She wasn't going to get away painfree obviously… and regardless of the fun toying with her coming to a premature end, there were plenty more victims within my reach. The ring of bullets floated back before beginning to close in on her with the same precision that should've finished her off in the very beginning. But now that coveted job was about to be finished at-

In a flash, Alice's health was suddenly fully restored as Alice's eyes widened at the sensation. She looked up to see the bullets had vanished instantly, as though Flowey called off the attack. The tears continued to fall and she was still sobbing in misery but suddenly she began to believe Napstablook was right in what he told her. It wasn't entirely the end for her. Flowey's dismayed and twitching expression added to this.

"What? How'd you…? Well, I'll just-" LOAD FAILED.

"... *Sob* T-the SOULS…?" Alice murmured to herself.

"Wh… Where are my powers!?" Flowey broke out in a cold sweat.

Finally, the miracle did occur! The six human SOULS reappeared floated in air, looking down at Flowey perhaps or to show how above him they truly were.

"The souls…? What are they doing?" What happened next was so sudden and even blinding that Alice had to avert her eyes.

A palette of intense, rainbow colors filled the room and flashed wildly. The room trembled and quaked as Flowey writhed and shook with pain and dismay. The SOULS spun furiously like a whirlpool and closed in on Flowey, sapping his strength and taking back the powers Flowey had fully abused. Alice could not see what was happening in fear of hurting her vision but what she heard from Flowey's bellowing and shrieking wails gave her a good idea of his fate.

"NO! NO! YOU CAN'T DO THAT! YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO OBEY ME! STOP! STOP IT! STOOOOPPPP!" Then everything in the room went white.

Once the white light faded, Alice was met with an extraordinary sight. Flowey, the normal Flowey the Flower as she had first encountered him, was planted on the ground with his head hanging low and looking wilted and frail. There was an eerie calm about the whole thing and it didn't suggest at all that a legendary battle had just occurred. At the same time, it suggested that Alice had power over what would happen for the first time since Asgore had died. It seemed SHE could decide what would become of Flowey. Even while mourning Napstablook through her tears, her mind felt sharp and focused on the situation at hand. She weakly got up to her feet, her muscles sore and exhausted from the whole ordeal, and walked over to Flowey. She looked down at him as tears dripped down her face. She waited to see if he would plea for mercy or behave in a cowardly manner but what she got instead oddly didn't surprise her,

"... What are you doing? Do you really think I've learned anything from this? No."

"... Y-you've learned what it looks like to lose… to lose a best friend… by one's h-hand… *sniff*." Alice shakily responded.

"...! … The Underground was built on that… regardless, sparing me won't bring him back. Nor will it change anything. Killing me is the only way to end this." Flowey appeared to choke up slightly but still spoke with a arrogance and turned to look at her with a malicious grin.

"You know very well by now I won't do that… it's n-not in my blood… and I'm not willing to follow your idealism" Alice wiped some more tears away.

"If you let me live… I'll come back." Flowey's head now stood up to face at her with a much less scary but intimidating expression.

"And do what…? You killed the king… the SOULS are now free from anyone's control… they can finally rest in peace. You have no means to usurp or gain power here."

Granted Alice couldn't guarantee whether or not the SOULS had been freed. It was a logical guess based on the scenario that had just occurred, Flowey's control over them severed and turned against him, but the true reason for saying that was to get Flowey to stand down. His tone was clearly demanding her to finish him off and kill him. It was very tempting in some deep part of her brain to do that. Pluck him and kill him like the snooty flowers of Wonderland had made her wish to do after their terrible treatment of her. But that was a dream long ago and even then the flowers had changed her view of them into something positive after they helped her with Mettaton. Flowey, as sinful as he had behaved and had slew her and two innocent monsters, obviously had more to him than just this. He had shown it to her…

'Chara… so you do know them." Alice pointed it out in a gentler voice.'

'"... More than anyone else…" What almost sounded like a completely different voice altogether seemed to answer her statement.'

Until I can get all the answers to these mysteries, there's no need to condemn him. Alice thought.

"I'll kill you." Flowey said defiantly.

"Not easily or preferably not at all." Alice, now felt completely calm.

"'Preferably' wouldn't be an option. I'll kill everyone." Flowey's expression became much more jarring as his pupils widened.

"..." Alice merely shook her head.

"I'll kill everyone you love." Flowey's face bloated as did his grin to become disturbingly big.

"I'm afraid then that you've already failed in that regard Flowey." Alice said, clutching her right arm and tracing over the small bullet hole with her finger.

"... …?" Flowey's face dissolved into confusion as he waited for her to continue.

"My sister and my cat Dinah. They… are dead already. They died once I fell down the rabbit hole, never to see them again. They were the loved ones I had all my life… they educated me and gave me food, company, and many happy memories. I can safely say though they weren't murdered. You say you'll kill everyone I love but you failed to kill the ones I left behind! Add in Toriel, Sans, Papyrus, Monster Kid, So Sorry, Muffet, Mettaton… and Napstablook's cherished memory… and you don't have the means to kill them from my mind or in reality." Alice clenched her fist as she felt her emotions briefly rise.

"...why? … why are you being… so nice to me?" Flowey suddenly looked almost regretful for what he did, confusion apparent in his voice.

"... I don't prefer to think of myself as being nice to you right now, but rather I'm being indifferent to your threats. You haven't been very nice to me after all… but I'm willing to understand you… I know many more things now compared to when I was in the Ruins. If I can find a way to perhaps free you from what truly is on your mind as well as break the Barrier as I have promised… then you can be free to say I have been nice to you." Alice clarified with powerful aplomb.

"I can't understand! I just can't understand…" Flowey softly cried in a tender yet clearly heartbroken voice.

Flowey ran away.

"..." Alice wordlessly walked forward towards what looked like one of the doors in the Ruins… or the Castle maybe.

She was so dreadfully tired… her eyes blurry and head unable to think clearly anymore... yet she needed to go alert someone, Sans being the most desirable candidate right now, exactly what… happened...

"*Thud!*"

…..

"...there! There she is!"

"BROTHER! I-IS ALICE REALLY-? ACK! S-SHE'S UNCONSCIOUS! AND IT SEEMS SHE'S BEEN HURT! WHATEVER HAPPENED HERE?!"

"The human…?! … Sans... What's going on here? Where the hell is Asgore?! Her SOUL is supposed to be collected by his hand and yet she's lying there helpless with him nowhere to be found! None of the other SOULS either!"

"UNDYNE PLEASE… SANS MADE YOU PINKY SWEAR TO ME IF WE FOUND HER WE'D DO NO HARM!"

"I can't not harm someone if she's harmed my liege! Grrr… ASGORE?! Where are you?! Show yourself King Fluffybuns right now before I slug you!"

"... she's got a pulse so you were right paps. fifty joints to the great papyrus."

"NOW'S REALLY NOT THE TIME FOR THOSE *SIGH*..."

"Asgore…? ...Dammit! No one's seen him outside the castle and he was nowhere to be found in the castle! Did she kill him…? Cause if she did… I'll carry on his legacy myself."

"no, it looks bad at the moment but i think i know what really went down…"

"Then did YOU kill him?! Cause I barely believe you have a backstabbing bone in your body! Unless you really are serving her and not the cause to fulfill the monsters hopes and dreams!"

"UNDYNE! DON'T AIM THAT AT MY BROTHER!"

"... Tch. Sorry Papyrus… but then you better start answering my questions Sans. What exactly did Alice do?"

"Let's just say this is about as neutral as it gets… For now…"

UNDERTALE

TO BE CONTINUED.