Rei...

Ignore the Doctor. He's a bully, who's mad things aren't going his way. Let's just...continue on.

The girls were still present at the crystal caverns, given that little time had actually passed. They were laughing as they made faces into the reflective walls. Being renewed by the experience.

Warmth flooded Chara. It had been a little while, since she just got to be a kid. To forget the worries of the world, despite how silly the catalyst was. Her eyes shone with the warmth of purple light.

Her willpower manifesting in an Auto-Save point. As, in this moment, she felt the desire to persevere flourish. Though, she failed to notice the light, as her focus was completely on her friend.

The experience, for Aliza, was equally impactful. The silly venture was something she longed to have last, moments, minutes, days. Even when the laughter hurt, it didn't matter.

In the moment, she felt like she could endure anything. Unafraid, wondering the future had in store for them, and hoping, imagining, happiness. After all, she felt like, as long as they were together, they could endure.

Although they wished to persist in their games, all things come to an end. And it was time for this encounter to follow suit. Fading into a wonderful calm. The kind found with nice friends, and bad jokes.

A faint orange glow rising in her eyes. Her cracked soul, mending the damage that had been done to it. A smile on her face.

Chara wiped away some tears. "Okay, okay..." She let out a long breath. "we should...probably get a move on."

"Y-yeah, probably." Aliza admitted, realizing they had been there for awhile. "Did...you have fun?"

"Yeah, course I did dork." Chara replied, while putting her arm around Aliza. "I mean, I think I won, but hey."

"Was it a contest?" Aliza asked, having a sly thought.

"Ehh...maybe." Chara shrugged.

"You definitely have the sillier face." Aliza smirked.

Chara was taken aback. "W-wow, okay. Heh. Damn." The other girl snickering. "I didn't expect that."

"I'm just joking." Aliza assured. "You have a nice face."

"Pshh...yeah well..." Chara was a bit red in said face. "So do you, so. Yeah."

Aliza raised a brow, and asked. "Did...was that, a flirt?"

"Oh uhm, gee, hey, look at the time." Chara laughed nervously. "We should uhm...get going." She remembered something. "But uh...well, before that. H-hang on."

Despite how flustered she felt, Chara had an idea she wanted to act on. Though, on the flipside, Aliza hadn't expected the flirt, or being right about it. Realizing that it was one distracted her for a moment, processing it.

Shaking her head, she liberated herself from the contemplative thought. She noticed her counterpart knelt by one of the crystals growing throughout the room. Reaching down to it, and gripping a piece on the side. Breaking it off with some mild strain.

She felt a bit confused as to why, mind you. Taking note of the crystal being the same color as the other girls eyes. Briefly noting it was a very lovely color, internally.

Traditionally, she might have waited, watched, and hoped the answer might come along. But she felt a sudden compulsion to inquire. And was more than comfortable enough with her friend to do so.

"What're you doing?" Aliza asked, hopping closer.

"Oh, well, I figured. Since the souvenir shop isn't really...ya know, a thing anymore." Chara snickered, having calmed down some. "I'd grab something else for us."

Adding this idea, to the rest of the things she was already thinking, inspired Aliza to blush. She knew that souvenirs were something people usually got, to remember a trip, or a special occasion. A memento, so they wouldn't forget the experience.

The girl was someone who had never appeared in a family photo. No image in a wallet. No home videos, to remember her.

And the realization that someone honestly desired to remember her, shocked her. It resulted in a flustery feeling, she didn't anticipate, or fully grasp. Barely noticing, as Chara broke off another piece. This one from an orange crystal.

"T-that so-er, uhm, sounds really cool!" Aliza declared in a louder voice than she'd expected. "S-so, it's...one for each of us?"

The response made Chara smile. "Mhmm. See, now we both can have one." She explained, stepping over to the other girl, while showing off the pieces. "One for you, and one for me."

Though it was fairly unintentional, each piece wound up resembling a save point. Some part of her mind having come to associate them with safety, and survival. Two things she hoped for both herself, and Aliza to have. She waited briefly for a response, only to find the other girl seeming frozen staring at them.

"Uhm, y-you see I uh...I was always a fan of necklaces." Chare explained. "So...who knows. Maybe we uhm...maybe we get a little bit of string, or something, and we can make em...ya know, that?"

While she was fumbling with an explanation, her counterpart was finding words difficult in the moment. And, in response to the suggestion, Alize moved forward, and hugged her in a sudden motion. Nearly knocking the pieces out of her hands.

"I...I won't lose it." Aliza told her. "I promise."

Chara blinked, and paused, thinking for a moment, before hugging her back. Drinking in the feel of it. Before letting out a hesitatnt chuckle.

"Hey, if something ever happens to it, it's okay." She assured. "People lose stuff all the time and-"

"B-but I won't!" Aliza assured, as the hug ended. "I'll...I'll do my best so that...doesn't happen." She smiled. "M-maybe uhm, necklaces...so, I can...carry it around with me...all the time?"

Aliza felt like that was wrong. Or like she was asking for something impossible. There was no way that Chara would be willing to permit such a thing, she just knew it. The words of her mother beginning to play in her mind.

Chara herself wasn't sure why it was such a big deal. She hadn't meant it as one, at least, not in any conscious part of her mind. Though, she couldn't help but find the assertion, the request, and the way it was presented, uniquely charming.

Usually, other people didn't hold onto things like she did. In her mind, it felt like they didn't treasure gifts, like she did. But, then again, she hated getting rid of what others had given her. Even the most mundane of items, bore value, when given. The idea that someone else felt the same way, was a welcome surprise.

"See, you've called me a dork, but then...ya go and do that." Chara brushed hair back, from blocking her eye. "I dunno partner. I think it's...crystal clear, my gift has gotten you sedimental."

Aliza let out a little laugh. "W-well, yeah. I uhm..." She thought up a 'counter-pun.' "I'll...try and be...boulder, about it?"

Without knowing what 'it' was, the pun didn't quite work. Though, Chara assumed she meant being sentimental in general. Which, she was more than welcome.

"Sounds like you had a rocky start, there." She smirked. "But I'll chalk it up to it puns being a little s-quarry, for ya." She nudged the other girl, while starting to wander off.

With a giggle of her own, Aliza wandered along with her counterpart. The pair heading out, of the room. And back outside to where the sentry station was.

Aliza thought to ask something. It was a question she had held, from the moment their eyes met. A sensation she couldn't shake.

"Hey, Chara?" Aliza asked.

"Yeah?" Chara glanced.

"Do you...feel like..." Aliza hesitated, before summoning her bravery. "I feel like...I've always known you." She explained, before letting out a nervous laugh. "T-that uhm, probably...s-sounds weird. But like, I dunno, I just-"

"You feel it too?" Chara asked back, visibly surprised. "I-" She glanced to the side. "sort of...felt a little crazy."

Aliza asked. "It's like..I dunno. Familiar."

"Every little laugh." Chara continued.

"Watching a show with you-" Aliza replied.

"Yeah." Chara paused briefly. "It's...it's weird right?"

"Oh uhm, very." Aliza nervously agreed.

"Like. C'mon, what?" Chara laughed some. "Right?"

"Mhm." Aliza nodded, before adding. "But it's...nice, right?"

Chara took a moment, before replying. "Yeah. I think so."

Neither of them was certain how to continue articulating the sensation. Like their memories, and experiences were woven together by some unknown force, who only intended surface level effects. But didn't account for two parties to be present, rather than just one.

Regardless, a concern that had been lingering in the back of their minds, had finally been spoken. The duo content with their odd connection. Ever more comfortable in the others presence, due to the shared oddity. As they moved onward, towards a hopeful future.

Hey...while they walk. Let's check in on someone we haven't seen in awhile. Shall we?


A little while ago, elsewhere in the underground, a scene played out.

Golden Grove City, was under attack, in daylight. Both ideas feeling outlandish in the minds of the monsters living there. But the sheer amount pouring towards them, was enough for dread to flow.

The fight against the creatures was in full swing, with a dozen warriors fighting to protect the path to and from Waterfall. While even less were battling out in the fields, and at the bottom of the mountain side it was upon. Leaving devastation as the conflict developed.

The chaos wrought from the conflict echoed, played through every propaganda speaker. Across every television set, or radio, both in the city, and in those beyond it. It was a city overflowing with refugees, that had grown more isolated each passing day. The news anchor suggested a 'grim' outcome for them.

The desperation in the moment resulting in a soldier being forced to flee from the fighting. A mothlike monster, wearing basic armoring. Weaving through trees, and below the attacks of a few creatures. Narrowly avoiding death, while turning. Flying backward, as they went. Unleashing several bullet attacks, to draw the focus of as many creatures as possible, guiding several of them away from the others.

|Run Away| was a very common internal command of the monsters. Every time the creatures got close.

Several moved faster than the warrior could fly. The moth monster swung their lance, striking one back, while focusing an attack. Creating a circle of butterfly bullets, sending them flying like a sawblade. Tearing out, and towards the approaching creatures.

It shred through shambling, fleshy things that resembled melting monsters. Cutting into the side of a living tree creature, rotting, and roaring with feral hate. The attack drawing the attention of even more, pushing out through the forest, towards them.

Admittedly, they weren't sure this desperate bid would ultimately matter. But, if it would ease tension on the stronger fighters, then it would be worth it. The monster hoped beyond hope, that it would be worth it.

The living tree creature swing down, attempting to strike them. Managing to catch the end of their wing. The mothlike monster coming crashing down, in the aftermath.

The monsters lance clattered against the ground, slipping away. It seemed...this was it. From beneath the helm, the royal guard saw the creatures loom. They heard the stories. They knew what might happen now. That creatures could, when killing someone, use their dust to create another creature. If this was to be the end, the warrior resolved to be unafraid.

However as a creature rushed to swing down. A sound filled the air. The hiss of magic. The ground before the monster glowing. Before erupting out into a tangled wall of bright blue spears. Punching into, and through the various creatures that had gotten closer.

The monster turned, noticing a figure, draped in a black cloak. With a purple tabard, bearing a freshly stitched rendition of the Deltarune upon it. A motion seeing the warrior manifest a spear of light. A trace of light flowing from her eye, one arm covered by the cape.

The creatures seemed to pause for a moment. One, with a television for a head producing a sound like laughter. Moving before the others. The mothlike monster scrambling near their savior.

"You look different." The Television creature noted, the voice becoming that of an old mans. "We thought you had hung yourself in shame, Undyne." The voice changed to a childs. "Where have you been hiding, all this time?"

The motherlike monster suddenly began shaking. "U-undyne?" They glanced up. "Like...t-the rebel leader Undyne?"

Undyne took a breath, before pushing herself forward. Holding the spear with one hand. Bringing it swinging out. Slashing through a couple of the creatures, with ease. A few moving to dodge, the sound of magic burning, resulting in the creatures turning green. Rooting them in place, as a powerful thrust impaled one.

Her boot pressing into the ground, bringing the impaled creature around, like a mace. To smash into a few more, as she released the spear. And materialized another, just as quickly.

The cloak covered arm rising. Enough that her fingers became visible. The ends of them dripping, as part of her flesh appeared to be melting. Falling into mana, and then into dust. A snap of her fingers manifesting several dozen spears of light.

Lips curling into a slight grin, her hand seemed to stabilize some, as a dazzling set of attacks followed. The warrior weaving between the creatures. Dodging hits coming for her, with relative ease.

Her crimson hair visible, flowing from beneath her hood. The spear in her hand punching into, tearing, and slashing out of creatures as she went. Instead of dislodging them when they got stuck, she'd merely manifest another. Inky blood spraying into the air, as she continued her rampage.

All the while, other spears of light were falling upon the battlefield. Colliding with the ones who had been rooted. She bounded forward, roaring, as her melting hand grabbed the television monster. Raising it up into the air, before slamming it into the earth with enough force to shatter the screen, creating a gust of wind, knocking those near her back.

The soldier didn't know how to respond. Scrambling to grab their lance. Only to notice another figure entering the clearing, draped in a purple cloak. With two blades sheathed on her hips.

"You might wanna sit this part out, dearie." The newcomer smiled. "Fufufu. Unless you want to be caught in the crossfire."

"W-what, I-" The mothlike monster noticed other monsters approaching. "You're the rebels, I-I, what are-"

"We're looking for a family member of ours." Muffet said, asking. "Tell me-" A creatures body flew past them. "have you seen two human children, recently?"

The other monsters from the ruins rushed forward. As other creatures had come to surround Undyne, their Rebellious Caretaker. Charging into the fray with mad abandon.

The spider monster maintained a soft smile, waiting for the answer. A small dog wearing a sword on its back stepping beside her. Alongside a masked cat monster.

The doors to the ruins had been cast open. Never to be sealed, again.