"I don't like this game," Frisk mumbled. They didn't like mumbling—their old parents found disrespectful. But they couldn't let Flowey overhear them from their hiding place under a table in an abandoned restaurant.

Everyone likes hide-and-seek. Don't be a baby, Chara said. And you don't need to speak out loud. I can hear your thoughts just fine.

Huh. So some monsters could read minds.

(Despite being invisible, it felt like Chara was rolling their eyes.)

"I—" Frisk began before clamping their mouth shut. I still don't like this, they thought as loud as they could. Flowey's taking too long. What if he doesn't find us?

You've heard him. He thinks you're "interesting." He'll annoy you forever if you don't get rid of him.

Flowey wasn't annoying. Not really. He could be scary, and rude, and they still didn't like how he talked about Mom. But he was one of the few monsters who told interesting stories and would play games with them.

Even if that game was dumb hide-and-seek.

They would've just picked a lame hiding spot, like the top of one of Home's crumbling roofs, but Chara wouldn't have that. The invisible monster wanted them to win.

Sitting alone in the dark didn't feel like winning.

Geez. You really are a baby.

I'm nine, Frisk thought sullenly. They were old enough to ride the bus by themself. Old enough to cook their own dinners, even if they didn't taste so good. Old enough to be left… and left… and left…

They wiped their damp eyes. Chara was strangely silent. They weren't… leaving too, were they? Frisk wasn't even good enough for a—

I'm here. Chara's mind-voice felt quieter than usual. I'm not going anywhere, Frisk.

Frisk shivered, wrapping their arms around themself. "Th-thanks."

A piece of the stone wall crumbled near them, making them jump. Then a petaly head popped out of the ground next to the table leg.

"Ha! Found you, idiot!"

Frisk flinched. Stupid. Flinching always made them hurt worse. It was safer to not show fear… to keep their expression neutral, not show anything at all…

"Golly, you don't look so good! That upset that I won, huh? Well, you'll have to do better next time." Flowey inched forward, his stem slithering through the cracked tile floor like a snake, until his face was right next to theirs. "Or… you could always do what I've been telling you. What you've been resisting all this time…"

(The scent of this ancient city… it filled them with determination.)

Frisk closed their eyes. Took a deep breath.

When they opened them again, they were smiling.

"It's okay. You win, Flowey. You're really good at this game."

Flowey blinked. "Really? That's it?"

Frisk stood and dusted themself off. The cavern's ambient violet light glowed from the empty doorframe. They wove through the maze of empty tables towards it.

"Come on! You're the monarch of this world. You can reshape time, purely by your own determination! And you still. Won't. Reset!?"

Frisk shrugged, breathing in the relatively fresh air. No breeze blew through Old Home, but water dripped from stalactites up above in some places. They stood under one of those spots right now.

"I don't get it. You can do anything! Anything you want! There are no consequences! Why are you still here?"

Flowey lost his temper a lot, but this sounded different. Almost like when they'd first met, before Mom had saved them. Flowey hadn't tried to attack them with "friendliness pellets" since then.

Frisk didn't know what would happen if he did. They'd die, probably. Unless Mom was fast enough, but they knew she was cleaning the kitchen today.

If he really wanted them to "reset"... killing them would be the easiest way, wouldn't it?

He's not that stupid, Chara said. He knows you'll remember. You'll stop playing with him… or just put him out of his misery.

That made sense. Even if they would never do what Chara implied, Flowey didn't know that. He still thought the world was "kill or be killed."

He really should come to dinner with them and Mom. That would have to change his mind.

"Are you as stupid as you look? I asked you a question, and you're sitting there like you're braindead."

Oops. It was easy to get lost in thought with Chara.

He's got a point, Chara said, their voice curious. Why not reset? We can do anything you want. Anything you can imagine.

Well, that was an easy question.

"I already have what I want."

They stuck their hands in their pockets and wandered back towards their house. Mom could probably use some help cleaning.