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9:

Demons

Frisk

(Third POV)

-.-.-.-

Frisk felt it before she saw it. The cold and harsher feel of the ground, noticing that she wasn't in her usual dreams, happy and peaceful, but something darker.

Where was she? She moaned as she opened her eyes to the new world her mind unlocked, her eyes bouncing around to find clues to the answer when Frisk recognized the snowy forest of Snowdin.

Why was she here again? Should she have moved on from here after meeting Sans and Papyrus? She had a deep feeling that she had more hidden memories to unlock, but they couldn't be all in Snowdin. Can they?

Then, cutting through the teen's thoughts with a start, the bitter wind carried a pained howl, snapping her into hyper-awareness with a gasp. She had a feeling that the brunette knew who the cry came from, but she couldn't make her mind connect to an image. Frisk didn't want to believe it was them:

"Hello!? Is someone there?" The brunette shouted over the howling wind, searching for the person who was still screaming and howling in pain, but only a bodiless voice called out to her. It was eerily familiar; it chilled her to the bone:

"It's okay, human. I believe in you. You can do better; I know you can!" Then, the cheerful but pain-filled voice slowly faded into a heavy silence.

No….

The brunette gasped deeply as she titled her head a little, trying to find the direction his voice was coming from before spinning to the right. After a few, Frisk took off running into the trees, searching for the monster as her heartbeat against her ribs:

"PAP!"

Her voice echoed throughout the forest before she was met by a smiling Papyrus, holding his side as he fell to his knees, and a different human dressed in a green and yellow striped sweater as they held tightly onto a bloodied knife as they stood in front of him.

When the human cocked their head, a creepy smile dancing over their face, Frisk screamed in fear. The knife cleanly removed the tall skeleton's head from his body.

They looked just like her, Frisk echoed, horrified in the walls of her mind. She watched the young child walk deeper into the forest; their terrifyingly eerie laughter followed them before she was awoken from her horror by the sight of Pappy's fallen body and head in the bloodied snow. The view burned its memory into her mind, forming tears that stung her eyes.

She cried out, dropping to her knees next to him, touching his cheek as tears rolled down the apples of her cheeks.

No, the flower screamed in her mind while she repeatedly shook her head in agony. God, please, no! She sobbed endlessly as she held his head to her body, rocking him comfortingly as her sobs filled the air:

"I wasn't here in time. I'm so sorry, Pappy! I am so sorry, why didn't I save you? I should have been faster. Oh, god, Pappy! I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" Frisk yelled, burying her face into his forehead, tears falling like tiny streams now.

She wanted to wake up from this nightmare—it had to be a horrible nightmare. But no matter how much she tried, Pappy's head just reminded her that she was too late. She couldn't escape the thoughts. It was torture.

It was so bad that the pain made her wonder if she made a horrible mistake from the decision to jump:

Then, she felt the rugged touch of Papyrus's skull disappear from her tight hold, causing her to fall to the ground with a grunt as the snow splashed around her.

Frisk stumbled into a sitting position, her eyes searching for her beloved friend's head, but they were only met with pure darkness. The brunette shouted out to him, only being surrounded by cruel laughter and whispers mocking her as she spun around fast, screaming.

"Who are you? Where is Papyrus?! What did you do with him?!" Her questions were answered by another round of laughter, followed by loud whispers.

One after one, they crushed the beauty under the mocking words.

"Who am I? I am you, the nasty side that you hide from the world. You wanted him to die, so I granted your wish, aren't you happy? You almost are out."

"You could never love the monsters like the weak one there. Admit it!"

"Admit it! You were pretending the kindness you showed them! You're just like us. You are!"

"NO! You are wrong! I might have made mistakes, but I will never be cruel like you!" The brunette growled deeply, standing straight, staring into the darkness.

She was done letting others speak for her. They didn't know her, nor did they know how she felt about the poor lonely creatures. They never gave her a chance to show herself. They couldn't understand how she was or how she felt, so how could they know what she was like?

But now, she will not let them downplay her feelings anymore!

It's high time she takes her strength back!

With those rushing thoughts in her mind, she tightened her fists at her sides, channeling her strength through them, while she let out an intense scream no matter how much it hurt. She wanted them to hear her, to know that she wasn't backing down anymore:

"They are everything to me! I did not pretend anything I did or my feelings towards them. Everything I said or did with any of them was me! How dare you say I didn't want to be with them or that I won't love them! I am starting to feel for one of those kind creatures. He is all I can think about; all my thoughts lead to him. So, I will never hurt them; I will never hurt him! I will never become you!"

Her scream echoed off the dark walls, shattering the laughter into simple silence. The mocking laugh and words disappeared, slowly fading as the beauty continued to shake with anger:

She panted, a fist placed over her heart, trying to calm her heart. But after Frisk's heartbeat slowed to a soft hum, the darkness bled into a new dream or nightmare. She held a mixture of fear and nervous excitement for the next scene.

The young brunette breathed out a shaky breath, bracing herself for whatever was to come as she felt the wind brush against her cheeks, her feeling weightless while she fell into the new scene.

-.-.-.-.-.-

Familiar floral smells met her nose before anything else, making the brunette smile softly. It reminded her of her mother's garden, but she realized that she wasn't in her garden when she opened her eyes:

It was a grand hall seemingly leading to a throne room. Frisk gasped loudly, realizing where exactly she was:

The brunette read about this place countless times and heard the fearsome legends of the lost souls. The Judgement Hall, where the monster King passed judgment on many fallen children. She faintly remembered a dream she had with a shiver.

She was fighting the other Sans, she recalled as her footsteps echoed throughout the hall, a frown placed on her face, before her steps faded into a familiar voice:

"Heya, kiddo, you've been busy, huh?" Sans required jokingly as Frisk quickly hid behind a polar and peeked out to the scene playing in front of her with a deeper frown.

Sans stood a few feet from the same child who cruelly cut Papyrus's life; they both grinned harshly. Frisk cupped her hand over her mouth, knowing the outcome of this fight by the look in Sans' eye-sockets, the murderous grin placed onto his usually joyful face:

He knew what happened, she figured, and he wanted this child to pay. The young woman didn't know how to feel, but fear escaped the swirl a bit and found its way into her stomach despite herself.

She knew; however, he needed some way to avenge his brother. And this was the only way the skeleton saw:

"You know, Chara, you ruined something beautiful. Frisk was almost through, and what do you do? Talked her into giving you control." He growled at the creepy laughter as the young child spins their knife:

"Well, she wanted to give everyone a happy ending—and I happen to know how to give her that, comedian." A gasp from Frisk was gone unheard from the pair. Poor Sans was shaking uncontrollably with anger while her voice filled the giant room. But it sounded off, almost demonic.

That voice scared her so deeply—to hear her voice coming from the monstrous child's grinning mouth. Did she really let that child kill her dear friend just to get something? The successful conclusion?

Did she betray the people who loved her so deeply? Frisk questioned herself in horror. Did Frisk really cross Sans?

No, no. This had to be a nightmare, just a horrible nightmare. Frisk would never hurt them. She knew better than anyone the pain of betrayal, being betrayed by the only people she could ever trust. Frisk would not bring that pain onto them. Instead, she wanted to relieve them from their past pain.

So, it was just her worst fears forming into a terrifying nightmare to remember that. To make sure she wouldn't stray from that wish, right?

But as the brunette tried to calm her fear, the dark giggles slowly faded back into the fay, growing louder and louder as the flower attempted to block them out.

However, it was feeble while one blew its harsh words into her ear, hissing like a dangerous snake:

"You see? You are just like us." The teen growled at the building laughter; her hands tightened around the polar as she shut her eyes firmly; speaking through her clenched teeth:

"Shut up, I'm nothing like you. This is just a nightmare. It has to be."

The laughter started to become louder, filling her ears with the cruel sounds, flaming the growing fear as she curled into a small ball with her hands protecting her ears. But, the voices of her taunters and Sans only got louder, and they mixed to slowly destroy Frisk's dissolve to be strong:

"YOU DIRTY BROTHER KILLER!" Sans roared, bringing Frisk's eyes back to him just as the real battle began. The child giggled delightfully and launched at the growling monster, their sharp weapon shining with every movement.

Seeing him so thirsty for blood scared the other human endlessly. He looked different than the gentle monster she met earlier that day. The one that blushed when their hands touched, who looked at her like she was the most important thing to him.

Was the skeleton in this hellish nightmare really the same kind she caress for? The laughter only answered, growing crueler as time passed, and her strength faded faster, her curling deeper to shield herself from their hisses:

"See? You'll always be alone! They will hate you! It's better to just get them before they get you!"

"They will never love a freak like you! Just kill them!"

"No! I won't become like you! I won't!" She yelled back, her breaths coming out as pants while her chest heaved with a wave of intense anger.

She was standing now, not wanting to let their taunts get to her. But, as they grew louder, she found herself crumbling back down into a tight ball with tears falling like rivers. Their words began to make Frisk wonder again.

Should she be alive? Should she be here if she was like the humans who trapped the monsters in the Underground?

Frisk desperately wanted to save them from this horrible fate, but she wondered now if she would be doing more harm than not, freeing them into a world they don't understand—a world filled with hatred:

Humans are cruel beings. Maybe it would be better if she disappeared, so they could go on living happily:

"Frisk?"

After all, she was a weakling. How could she save an entire race?

"Frisk? Answer me, sis."

The brunette was too deep in the destroying thoughts to notice the figure of another teenage girl slowly making her way to the terrified flower, her ruby red eyes scanning the scene as her mouth twisted into a fierce scowl.

"Gaster. Typical. The comedian must take care of him soon, or I will." The other brunette growled under her breath.

Chara shook her head before returning her eyes to the shaking girl as her gaze softened. Then, with a deep breath, Chara kneeled down to Frisk's side with a hand hovering over her shoulder:

"Frisk, honey, their words aren't true. Don't listen to them."

However, those soothing words didn't entirely clear the dark fog from the younger one's mind. The darkness had a tight grip on the girl's mind. And it seemingly didn't want to let go just yet.

The younger girl has still locked away into her mind, swirling in the endless self-harming thoughts. The older female frowned as her rubies met the dulled blues, realizing she was fading into the darkness. The nightmare Gaster weaved was slowly chipping away the girl's strong determination.

This girl was something anyone would marvel at, the embodiment of an angel. Yes, she had her moments, but those moments were for the betterment of her loved ones. Chara will not let the twisted scientist kill that beautiful heart and change it into another thing to control.

Not again:

"Son of a bitch!" She cursed deeply; her hands both came down to shake the flower into the truth.

"Frisk! Come on, you're nothing like them, me!"

Suddenly, the reddish brunette's eyes brightened ever-so-slightly while the loud laughter slowly died down to a peaceful silence.

Chara sighed relieved breath, then scooted back when Frisk whimpered at the sight of her, shambling back against the wall.

It hurt to see that the younger teen was so scared of her, but the autumn-haired teen understood why. As much as Chara hated that fact, she knew she was at fault for that. The Demon of Monsters just hoped she could fix that.

Even if it's a bit, she just wanted to be helpful to the small group, to her little sister. Chara didn't think she would get a chance, but now she might have an opportunity to make amends for all the horrible things she had done in the past.

She just wanted to try; she needed to try:

So, with that thought sitting in her mind, she smiled softly as she steadily raised her hands in a gesture of peace before her head moved to the side to the paused fight with a sad expression laced to her facial features.

"That might have scared you, huh? I'm sorry you had to see that so soon, Frisk. I'm Chara."

"The one fighting Sans and who killed Papyrus? The one who manipulated me into becoming into a monster?" Frisk deadpanned.

Frisk's mind was still brightening that she didn't think to care about the other girl's feelings now.

The darkness still crawled over her mind, twisting her personality for a moment. For the first time in her life, Frisk truly hated someone. She never once harbored hatred for a person, but seeing this young woman hurt the people she cared about. But was the girl truly evil as she feared?

With that question ringing through her mind, a gasp escaped her mouth while she caught as the gingerish brunette flinched at Frisk's words.

Oh god, she uttered, terrified, what happened? What happened to her?

"Oh, god, I'm sorry—"

"No, no, don't be. I deserved that." The other teen smiled slightly, placing her hands on her legs, looking around the room as her past self was frozen in a gleeful stance at Sans. Chara cringed at the frozen sight and dropped her eyes to her lap.

Frisk let the older teenager have a moment, biting her lip. What twisted her so much? Was it this dark dream?

No, the brunette thought as she folded a hand over her heart. Frisk had terrifying nightmares before that tortured her repeatedly with memories of the abuse. But she never once held such hatred in her heart for them. So, what was about this dream that blackened her soul, even for a fleeting moment?

It horrified her to find that she could be twisted that way.

She never let herself hate anyone, knowing that hatred changes the person, and there was no changing back. Sure, she disliked her abusers, but hating them would be like becoming them. Filled with hate and bitterness, the flower blotched at the thought.

"Hey, Frisk? I know you don't trust me, but will you do me a favor?"

Chara's voice cut through her musings, and Frisk lifted her eyes to her wary and guarded. But nevertheless, she met her gaze, ready to listen to her request. The other girl smiled gratefully before she carefully chose her words and spoke kindly:

"Whatever you heard or will hear in the future, please don't listen to lies. And you will never be alone; you have friends who love you and adore you for just you. So please, keep that in mind next time you doubt your own strength. I know you're the strongest soul—you will get everyone's successful conclusion." She soothed her, slowly standing with a smile as her ruby eyes stared into her blue eyes.

After hearing those sweet, tender words, the brunette was overwhelmed with the girl's observations of kindness. Just who was this girl? The brunette questioned herself as Chara started to walk away. Her eyes traced her movements.

She didn't understand, but her heart hurt for the other girl. Her eyes held this lost look behind them, this guilt that she couldn't hide. Frisk didn't know how to think or feel about her, didn't know who Chara was:

The monster she just saw a few minutes ago or this seemingly lost girl with sad eyes, searching for something?

That question rang through her mind as a hand moved to her chest, her other hand reaching for Chara. Frisk wanted to know the girl behind the monster. She wanted to see the good in her. Frisk didn't know why, but the younger teen felt this girl needed someone. Someone to help her relieve the guilt she held deep in her heart.

"Chara, is there something I can do for you?" Her voice was soft, almost a whisper, just loud enough to stop the other young woman.

Chara startled, turning to her with wide eyes before she smiled softly and knelt to her level again, carefully touching her hand while she spoke as softly as Frisk.

"I can't be saved, hon. You are sweet to think of me, but some monsters can't be saved."

Chara landed a sisterly, soft kiss on the younger teen's forehead, smiling at her for a moment before standing once more.

Looking almost defeated, Chara slowly walked into the darkness as the scene disappeared into the blackness. She could feel Frisk's eyes on her back with every step, but she didn't dare look back in fear that she wouldn't be able to leave her.

But she made a vow as the shadows embraced her—Chara would always be there for her angelic sister when she needed her.

Frisk watched as she faded into the shadows. Her mixed feelings sat in her chest. She soon was alone with her rushing thoughts, too fast for her to sort. However, that didn't stop the flower from trying:

She hoped she could, one day, change Chara's mind about herself. Because Frisk had a strong feeling that she wasn't as monstrous as the other young woman pervades herself to be. Even after all she saw, the brunette saw there was good in her soul just waiting to be seen.

It was just her gentle actions that she saw her true self, saw the lost girl behind the mask. It might be her hopeful wishing, but she just knew she saw more to the other young woman. And she wanted to bring that out.

As the thoughts ran through her mind, she didn't notice the building light beginning to swallow her body until it began to lift her off the ground. Then, a startled scream escaped from her mouth as her hands flew to her eyes, and soon, the light swallowed her completely.

Taking her back to the real world, leaving Chara in her self-dubbed prison.

She was alone and in the dark of her sins, but she knew this was a fitting punishment.

-.-.-.-.-.-

A gasp ripped out from her mouth as Frisk opened her eyes fast, her body awaking to the world again, but they just closed again because of the harsh lights of the snowy town.

The horrible dream imprinted itself to her mind, making the brunette want to run out to the comforting cold.

After a few minutes of letting her eyes adjust, she opened them to the world and sat up against the headboard. Then, with a heavy sigh, Frisk looked at the sleeping form of her brother as she reflected on what she saw, pondering what to do next.

Frisk knew that she needed to continue her journey, no matter what she saw in that dream, but the teen was afraid that her fate would end up like Chara's if she faced a more powerful monster and couldn't calm them down.

Frisk saw that Chara had more hidden than the monster in her dream; she knew that. But, somewhere along the line, something changed in her mind. Chara truly believed that murdering was the right thing to do

What if Frisk had to kill a monster, and it twists her?

You? A killer, Frisk? That's a laugh. You are the gentlest soul I've met.

Not expecting that, she tensed at the laughter. But then, Frisk relaxed when she recognized the tone. It was Chara, but a bit softer than the manic laughter she heard in her nightmare. That laugh almost sounded like her genuine laugh.

Sorry, guess you weren't ready for that. Chara's voice sheepishly rung through her mind.

Frisk chuckled softly as she swung her legs over the edge and grabbed her cape, hanging it over her shoulders.

Don't worry, I'm just not used to hearing voices. Are you sure that I'm not crazy, though? That earned her a laugh.

I'm sure.

The brunette cracked a small smile before bounding down the stairs and out to the door. Frisk took a seat on the steps with a deep breath as her thoughts slowly calmed to only one. The idea of Sans, both versions of him:

He was scary but also so sweet, deeply caring for others. The mixture is deadly when needed. And, if Frisk was honest with herself, it terrified her to see the fatal side of the skeletal monster. She didn't want to get hurt again.

She knew that the Sans in her dreams were just her fears embodied in the monster she likes to think she might, one day, fall in love with the future—to mess up her thoughts about him and make her stay away from the male to protect her heart. And, to confirm what Frisk's parents always believed, no one would love a monster like her.

She idly wondered if they were right all along—Frisk wasn't worth a damn thing.

But when Chara's dry voice chimed loudly in the walls of her mind:

You're thinking crazy again, F.

Again? How long have you been in my mind? Frisk chuckled at the silliness of this situation before hearing Chara's response, a cringe clearly in her voice.

Since we were born.

At that, the teen botched as soon as she heard the thought, not believing that. She had a whole other personality in her head all her life, and she never knew it?

How was that possible?

Without wanting an actual answer, the girl heard the other one hummed in reply, audibly shaking her head:

I wanted to say something earlier, especially when those bastards abused you, but I didn't want to get you into further trouble by speaking up. I kept quiet. But when you saw that dream, I had to say something.

The other teen pursed her lips in the thought, her hand stretched out to feel the snow against her palm, her mind rushing at the realization.

All those years, Frisk wasn't as alone as she thought. Even though she didn't know it, she had someone. Frisk was comforted by her, she didn't see how, but she had a feeling that the other brunette was there in the darkest corners of her mind.

Frisk couldn't fathom that, but at the same time, she couldn't help but wonder if Chara was that comforting presence.

Before Chara's answer could come, Asriel's voice startled her from her mind, and her head snapped up to see the goat coming to sit next to his sister; a worried expression played across his extended facial features:

"You scared me when I woke up, and you weren't there. Are you all right, sweet girl?"

The flower signed slowly, but her eyes showed her wandering thoughts. That look fueled Asriel's worries, but the brunette shook her head, smiling slightly as she spotted the concern behind his eyes. She didn't want him to worry about her because no matter how much fear Frisk held in her heart—she wouldn't let that stop her from her finishing mission.

Frisk would prove to herself, the monsters, and humans both, that she can change the world. She would show them that humans can be more than the ignorant and dangerous ones who locked away the monsters in the ancient past.

The dreams were meant to create doubts within her. Either from her own mind—her demons—or another source about this cause. Thankfully, it only worked for a few minutes before Chara woke her from the dark spell she was under, throwing the doubts behind a tightly locked door:

She wouldn't say that it won't happen again, but she would chain the demons back into the darkest shadows of her mind. And Frisk was sure her new-found mind-mate would knock them out of her thoughts:

Silly name for me, but true.

She chuckled quietly at Chara's mumble before she raised her hands to sign a soothing phrase for her worried brother. But, she was interrupted by angry footsteps echoing to the siblings. Startled by the sudden mood change, the siblings brought their eyes to a growling Sans walking towards the duo. Something was very wrong.

Frisk's eyes widened as the other male came to a stop and knelt to her level on the bottom step. Then, suddenly, tightly, he gripped her hand into his larger one, startling her gaze to Sans' serious pupil:

"Frisk, I'm sorry, but I need to know about your last dream. I know it's a weird question, but you had one last night, did you?"

"Sans, what's going on?" Asriel's tone matched Sans' worried, almost scared sound.

Frisk shook a bit at the edgy tone, remembering it from the nightmare. But then, Frisk felt the comforting touch of Sans' thumb soothing her hand as he stared into her blues. A sweet smile was playing over his teeth.

And just like that, all fears she had for the male flew away from the pit of her stomach. Then, just as quick, she felt a door open, one that Frisk doubted won't close ever again. Shaking her head free, Frisk heard Sans' soothing voice wake her from those thoughts.

"I just need to know, sweetheart. It must've been bad. I can see it in your eyes." He whispered soothingly, reaching his free hand to her cheek. His eye sockets softened as they continued to stare into each other's eyes.

As the minutes passed, everything around them disappeared until they were the only people in both worlds. All Frisk could think about was the handsome skeletal monster in front of her. There was no more fear in her heart. She now knew which version of Sans she was staring at:

The angry skeleton from the dream wasn't the same as the Sans she met hours ago. The one who stared at the teen like a treasure. The one who held such a gentleness towards her. And it seemed only her because even though he was kind towards his fellow monsters from what she saw. Sans was just gentler with her. And because of those facts, the flower knew she could trust him wholeheartedly.

The Sans in the dream was only a faded memory, a nightmare to remind her of her purpose. Where Frisk needed to go.

So, with a slight smile playing upon her lips, she lifted her hands to explain the horrible dream. The fear slowly crept back to her, but Sans's touch, the fear was banished, and it was easier to move through the explanation.

"Oh, sweetheart. I'm sorry." Sans lamented. With tender sockets, he moved his hand to push her into a hug. Frisk released a gasp before she softened a bit as she shook her head firmly. Filled with determination, she grasped his face in her head, whispering as soft as the wind:

"No, Sans. Please don't apologize. It was just a nightmare." She tried to soothe him, but they both knew that was a pretty lie.

However, despite his sockets holding doubts and fears, he just smiled and nodded as he laid his forehead against hers. He seemingly let the subject drop, for now, and moved to the subject of his brother. Like Frisk, Sans wanted to forget the dream for a while.

Frisk smiled at the mention of the big, tall cinnamon roll's name as her hands danced in the air to detail the silly things he did. The memory of the dream slowly faded into the most profound, furthest part of her mind as her boys would laugh at her words.

Soon after that, Frisk felt herself fade from crushing exhaustion. The fear and rushing thoughts drained her without her knowing it, and she slowly fell into Sans' chest.

The moment her cheek touched the soft fabric of his pale sweater, her cheeks flamed with fire, and her hands flew to apologize. But, the skeleton chuckled as he pushed her hands down to her lap. Then, with one last smile, Sans scooped the startled teen into his arms and made his way to their temporary room:

"I got you, princess, don't fret so much. Sleep well." He stated softly, placing her on the bed gingerly while he tugged both the blanket and her beloved jacket around her.

He smiled once more, touching her cheek before sleep claimed her.

But Frisk could've sworn she felt a soft touch of teeth on her lips.