It was another week before Frisk finally got to talk to Napstablook.
"Where do ghosts come from?" They asked while lying in a pile of leaves.
They knew what humans thought. Ghosts came from dead people. But humans also thought ghosts were evil, and Napstablook was one of the sweetest monsters Frisk knew.
"Oh… nowhere important, usually," Napstablook replied quietly. They drifted in and out of the leaves, which occasionally floated weightlessly in their incorporeal body. Frisk followed a bright red leaf as it spun circles through Napstablook's middle.
"You're important," Frisk insisted. Chara was important too, but Frisk didn't know if they were a ghost yet.
Chara was quiet, not bothering to give their thoughts one way or another. They were always quiet around Napstablook for some reason.
"Heh…. thank you, I guess…." The ghost blushed a light pink. "Most ghosts come from the garbage dump…. That's where human memories are the strongest."
"Human memories are important?" Frisk pressed.
"They are for ghosts… and, um, probably for humans…"
Frisk wasn't sure if Napstablook knew that they were a human. It had never really come up.
"How does it work, though? Are you like, made out of memories, or…?"
"It's not very nice to ask a ghost about that… but you probably didn't know, I guess…"
"Oh." Frisk winced. "Sorry, Napstablook."
"It's ok… I thought your ghost friend would've told you… but they must be really shy…" Napstablook looked straight through Frisk. "I have a cousin like that…. I think you saw them in the training dummy…"
Ghost friend? But—did that mean…?
"Chara?" Frisk gasped. "Can you see Chara?"
"Oh… was I not supposed to…?"
Chara felt too stunned to speak. Or maybe they were just nervous about talking where Napstablook could hear. Was that why they were always quiet around the ghost? Did they know?
I thought they noticed me one time, Chara finally spoke up. When we first fought them? I said they didn't have a sense of humor.
"I remember… that was rude." Napstablook pouted.
Frisk gaped. "You really can hear Chara."
"I said that already…"
This is—this is crazy, Chara breathed. I'm not a ghost!
"But you are dead," Frisk said.
"Oh… this is awkward… forget I said anything…" Napstablook started to hover towards the wall.
"Wait!" Frisk called out, reaching through Napstablook's incorporeal form. A chill went up their arm. "Other monsters can see you, right? And you can move on your own. How can Chara do that?"
Napstablook paused. "I don't know… most ghosts don't get stuck inside people unless they want to…"
Please, Chara surprised Frisk by speaking up. If there's any way I can get out, I want to try.
"Oh… um… usually ghosts form around an item with lots of human memories…" Napstablook shuddered, like talking about it was hard.
So you think I formed around Frisk? Chara asked.
"I don't know… sorry… I'm not very helpful…"
"You're helping a lot," Frisk reassured them before blowing them a kiss.
Napstablook blushed. "Thanks… I guess… I could ask my cousin for help… if she hasn't become corporeal yet…"
"That would be great!" Frisk smiled.
Thanks, Chara mumbled. They suddenly seemed shy, but Frisk didn't know why. Maybe they felt bad for saying Napstablook wasn't funny before?
"Okay… I'll try…"
Napstablook faded out of view.
Don't hold your breath, Chara said. Ghosts are monsters. I was a human. It can't be that easy.
Maybe it wouldn't be easy. But it might be possible.
That was enough to fill Frisk with determination.