Thanks again for all the faves, follows and reviews. It all means a lot.
Also, if you're enjoying the story, check it out on DeviantART. It's in PDF format, so it retains all the little creative choices I added. Which includes Sans and Papyrus speaking in Comic Sans and Papyrus. Go check it out.
Sans, Papyrus and Undyne all rushed through the hospital in New Home. An hour ago, they got a text from Alphys that Frisk had been badly hurt and had been rushed to the emergency room. Alphys, who knew the most about humans, was looking over them right now.
The trio reached the waiting room outside Frisk's room where Asgore and Toriel were already present. The king was reassuring the former queen.
"Hey, we got here as fast as we could," Undyne said.
"Thank you for coming so quickly," Asgore acknowledged, nodding to each of them.
"anything for our little buddy," Sans reassured.
"AND FOR YOU, YOUR MAJESTY," Papyrus added. He knelt down next to Sans. "SAY, DID ASGORE SHAVE? AND… CLONE HIMSELF?" he asked, pointing to Toriel.
"nah, i think that's his ex," Sans answered. "and if i had to guess she's frisk's guardian. the one they mentioned they were staying with."
Toriel looked at the newcomers. "Yes. I am Toriel. Frisk is in my custody."
"So what happened?" Undyne asked.
"We were at Alphys' lab and one of her machines exploded," Toriel answered. "Asgore came and helped me get them out, but… Frisk said they cannot feel their legs and then they passed out."
"Alphys fears that they may be suffering from a form of paralysis," Asgore explained. "Hopefully she can figure out what's wrong."
"paralysis?" Sans questioned. "that's usually not fixable. they could be confined to a wheelchair for the rest of their life."
"Alphys says that there is a chance that whatever is wrong could just be temporary," Toriel said.
"For Frisk's sake, I hope it's true," Asgore commented. "But… you told me they coughed up blood. Humans normally don't do that unless there's been internal damage."
"I pray that whatever is wrong, she can fix it," Toriel said, sounding like she was trying to convince herself.
The door to the ER opened and out stepped Alphys. Everyone walked up to her but they could tell from her expression and her downcast face that the news she bore was not good.
"Well, Doc, how's Frisk?" Asgore was the first to ask.
"Awake, for now," Alphys revealed. "I've… I've put them on some h-heavy-duty pain killers, s-so they might be a little loopy."
"But… how are they?" Toriel pressed.
Alphys finally looked up at them, and from the tears in her eyes she wasn't about to give good news. "T-their spine… it… its…" She sniffed and managed to work up the courage. "The beam from the lab, it seems to have… broken it. That's why their legs are paralyzed."
"I'M NOT SURE I UNDERSTAND," Papyrus admitted.
"bro, that part's crucial for a human to move," Sans explained. "if it's broken, it cripples them for good."
"SO… THEY'LL NEVER BE ABLE TO MOVE THEIR LEGS AGAIN?" Papyrus questioned.
"And part of their lower body," Alphys added.
"WELL, I'M SURE IT'S NO TROUBLE FOR YOU, DOCTOR. IF YOU CAN'T FIX IT, I'M SURE YOU COULD MAKE SOMETHING THAT WILL ALLOW THEM TO WALK AGAIN," Papyrus said confidently.
"Yeah, you could make something, right Alphys?" Undyne asked. When Alphys' expression got more heartbreaking, she realized that something was wrong. "Um… Alphys? What is it?"
"I-it would be s-simple, i-if it w-was j-just a s-spinal injury," Alphys stuttered. "B-but… i-it's more than t-that." She took a deep breath in a failed attempt to calm her nerves. "T-they… their insides a-are…" Tears were streaming down her cheeks. "T-there's nothing I c-can d-d-do to f-fix w-what h-happened."
Toriel felt as if a vice had clamped down on her heart. Tears welled up in her eyes as she realized what Alphys meant. "You mean… Frisk is…" She couldn't say the word.
"I'M NOT SURE I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING," Papyrus said.
"they're saying that frisk is dying," Sans said rather bluntly.
"DYING? BUT… THEY JUST CAME BACK! THEY CAN'T LEAVE ALREADY!" the taller skeleton shouted.
Toriel face Alphys and asked, "Are you sure there's nothing you can do?"
Alphys wiped some tears that were falling. "I-I don't know enough a-about humans to know how to fix them," she admitted. "T-the meds I-I h-have them on k-keeps them from f-feeling anything's w-wrong… b-but…" She struggled to say it. "I c-can keep t-them comfortable, b-but… a-at s-some p-point… th-their body will j-just give out."
Toriel covered her mouth with her hands. Not again, she thought.
Asgore bowed his head. This felt horribly familiar and it didn't take him long to realize why. A human child slowly dying from something they couldn't heal. It was Chara all over again. It was the last thing he wanted, to be back there, while the first human who fell into their world was about to leave them.
"C-can we see them?" Toriel asked.
Alphys nodded. "They're awake but I haven't told them what's happened to them yet."
"We'll tell them," Asgore decided. "They deserve to hear it from us."
The goat couple walked in first, followed by the skeleton duo and trailed by the fish lady and the yellow lizard woman.
Toriel gasped at the sight. Frisk had an IV in their arm and there were bandages visible on their body, as well as a breathing device on their nose. She knelt next to them placing a gentle hand on their head.
"Hey," Frisk said weakly. "Sorry to make you worry."
"It is no trouble," Toriel said gently. "You were amazing back there, holding the explosion at bay."
"Wish I could have stopped it," they breathed.
"You did great," Toriel reassured. "So, um… Alphys did some tests… and…" She was having trouble saying it.
"I know," Frisk said sadly, shocking their foster mother.
"You… know?" Toriel questioned.
Frisk nodded slowly. "I can't feel my legs, my chest hurts and there's nothing you can do to fix it."
Toriel sighed and lowered her head, tears threatening to spill. "I… I am so sorry," she wept. "I… I promised to protect you… and I failed."
Frisk raised an arm and laid it on her cheek. "It… it's okay," they breathed. They tried to think of something else to reassure her with but nothing came to them.
"It is not," Toriel cried. "This should not be the end. It is too soon."
For Alphys, this was too much. She couldn't stand there and watch anymore. She ran out of the room.
Frisk was moved to see everyone so upset over what was happening to them. Though it wasn't happy it still made them smile, seeing just how valued they truly were. This was where they belonged. They knew that when they loaded up their Save from this morning they'd feel a lot better.
But then, a part of them wondered, would it work? They'd never died this way before. It was always quick from a Monster's attack, never slowly from internal damage. If they died, would they come back or… not?
Well, if not then at least their friends might find some benefit in their death as their Soul would be the first of seven needed. A part of Frisk hoped that would happen, as it would mean that the Monsters could someday see the sun.
Alphys retreated to her lab, her True Lab which survived the explosion of the floor above. This was a nightmare. Her friend was suffering and there was nothing she could do. If only she had spent more time learning about human biology rather than their entertainment, she could do something. Or if she hadn't made the generator that exploded and was responsible for Frisk's condition right now.
Once more Alphys was alone, a failure. Nothing she could do would save Frisk and Asgore and Toriel would soon lose yet another child.
Alphys wept, caught up in her own misery and failure. However, she wasn't so caught up that she couldn't hear a steady beeping noise. She parted her fingers only now realizing that she had entered the room where the clone was housed. The beeping was coming from the monitors. She got up and took a closer look. The devices were registering its heartbeat, which was slow but steady.
Well, at least something positive may come out of this, she mused. The king and Toriel may have a child again. She took another look at the screens and to her surprise, there was no brain activity. It was like in a coma. Curious, she pulled out another device and did a scan of the body. Her eyes widened when the scanner didn't detect a Soul.
It… it doesn't have a Soul? She thought it over and her mind came to a sad conclusion. If it didn't have a Soul then it meant the plan to clone and hope for the best was a bust. Worse, if her instruments weren't lying, then this clone was brain-dead and only the body was alive. Without a Soul it's just an empty shell.
Something about that triggered a memory. Something Frisk had told her once about Souls. Apparently, a human Soul in a Monster body could control the body though how much Frisk hadn't been clear about.
Something in her mind clicked with that revelation. There was also something else nagging at her. Monsters couldn't absorb Monster Souls and humans couldn't absorb human Souls. But what about something that was neither human nor Monster? She had experimented with a flower to test that, and something told her that she had been right.
Another piece clicked into place. One more thing specific to humans pushed itself to the forefront of her mind. The reason human Souls persist after death is because of their Determination and Frisk had the most Determination of the six Souls she had been able to examine.
Another piece, another click. An idea was taking shape. She had just a little more to confirm. She ran to her library, looking through all the books she had on Souls, praying that the information she wanted was there.
Frisk was resting now, so their friends were gathered outside, while Asgore tried to comfort Toriel. His large arms were wrapped around her as she cried into his shoulder. Eight children under her care were dead, and soon, Frisk will join them.
Am I doomed to be alone? She wondered. Is it my fate to be a childless mother forever?
Asgore was in just as much pain as his ex-wife. He had only known Frisk for a few days and he had fully accepted them as his child. And now he was going to lose them as well.
Sans hated to see Toriel like this but there was nothing he could do to help her. He also felt horrible for failing to keep his one and only promise; protect any human that leaves the Ruins.
Papyrus was doing his best to keep his cool and not cry but it was hard with Lady Asgore crying and Original Asgore equally devastated.
Undyne was as upset as her mentor. Sure, she had tried to kill Frisk several times, but after they proved they were good and assured her that everything was cool, she had grown fond of them, and now they were dying. She was also worried about Alphys.
"so, uh, i don't know if this is a touchy subject, but…" Sans spoke, "what we going to do with frisk's remains?"
Nobody had an answer to that though Toriel did look at Asgore and expected him to say something. Asgore didn't know what to do. A part of him wanted to use Frisk's Soul to break the barrier and place their body in a coffin. But… Toriel knew them longer. The choice should fall on her.
"Tori?" he asked her. "What do you want done?"
Toriel sniffed, trying to think of what she wanted done. "Frisk should be buried. I… I will take them."
"I'll help," Asgore offered. "They're my child, too."
Alphys suddenly ran in. "There's a way to save Frisk!" she shouted. Immediately, they started bombarding her with questions but Alphys cut them off. "Listen, I'm not sure if it'll work, but it's a chance."
"So, what's the chance?" Asgore asked.
"I just came from my lab and the solution is with my latest attempt to break the barrier," Alphys explained.
"The clone," Toriel realized.
"It's a hybrid clone of Frisk, Asgore, and Toriel," Alphys explained to the others. "It's fully developed, at least I think it is, and while it has a heartbeat, it has no consciousness or Soul."
"so, i take it that whatever your planned with it was a bust?" Sans asked.
"Yes, but it's the best chance Frisk has," Alphys revealed. "After all, it's part Monster and Frisk is a human. Their Souls can persist after death and can be absorbed by a Monster."
"So… what are you getting at?" Undyne asked.
"We kill Frisk now. Hear me out," Alphys said quickly before Toriel could object. "They're already dead so we spare them a death that will be slow and painful. Once they die their Soul will reveal itself. I have special equipment that will allow me to hold it without accidentally absorbing it. Then before their Soul can shatter we transfer it to the clone body which should be able to absorb the Soul. This won't save Frisk's body, but it will save them. Our Souls are the culmination of our being after all. This will effectively move Frisk to a new body that's healthy while preserving who they are."
Everyone took a moment to process that. Alphys' plan was rather crazy and they knew the morality of it was rather fuzzy, but it was a way to save Frisk.
"Can you really do all that, Alphys?" Undyne asked.
"Yes. All I need to do is bring the body up from my lab, get the special equipment and we'll be good to go," she confirmed.
"Are you sure it will work?" Asgore asked.
"Not completely," Alphys admitted. "This has never even been attempted before, but humans have done something similar. I can adapt it for this purpose."
"SO, WE MOVE FRISK INTO A MONSTER BODY TO SAVE THEM?" Papyrus asked.
"seems like it," Sans confirmed. "this sounds kinda sketchy to me but if it can save our buddy, i guess it's fine."
"But would they want that?" Toriel asked. The silence that got prompted her to continue. "This is not something simple we are subjecting them too, it is not just something they can try for a day. This will change their whole life. Would they agree to this?"
Nobody had an answer to that and they hadn't thought of what Frisk's thoughts on it would be.
"WELL, THERE'S A SIMPLE WAY TO FIND OUT," Papyrus spoke. "ASK THEM."
Toriel got up and walked into Frisk's room, realizing that Papyrus was right. She walked over to Frisk's bed, where they were still resting. Gently, she shook them awake. "Frisk, dear?" she gently inquired. A small fear gripped her when they didn't immediately respond but they gently shook their head and looked at her.
"What is it?" they asked, their voice weaker than before.
Toriel swallowed the lump in her throat before answering. "Alphys… she says she might have a way to save you."
"How?" Frisk breathed.
"She- she cannot save your body but she can save your Soul. She can transplant it into the empty clone you two created," she explained.
"The… hybrid Monster?" Frisk asked. "It… doesn't have a Soul?"
"It will, when yours is put into it," Toriel elaborated. "We can save you, but… we will not do it without your permission. If you will not… I understand, but please… please, consider it."
Frisk thought about it. Really thought about it. This could potentially change their life forever. After all, what they were asking was to put their Soul, the culmination of who they were, into a new body. Frisk had a good idea of what would happen, if their experience with Flowey when he absorbed the six human Souls was any indication. The difference was that there was already someone in control of that body, but this one would have no one in it beforehand which meant Frisk would have undivided control of the body.
At first, Frisk was against it. It would change how they identified with the world forever. Besides, who knew what would happen? A human in control of a Monster body was exactly the same thing as a Monster with a human Soul. They were a human; they should die a human.
But then, the familiar voice in their head whispered something that made them reconsider their choice. What did being human ever get you?
Frisk had run away from the surface – from humanity – because they found no happiness up there with them. They were down here to find true happiness, and these past few days they truly were happy living amongst people that were not the same species as them. These people, who loved them and would even miss them if they died.
There was still so much Frisk wanted to do and they still weren't sure their Save was working. And… that clone was made from Toriel and Asgore's DNA. Frisk would have a solid connection to the Dreemurr couple. Frisk wanted that so badly. To be able to call them mom and dad and be true was what they always wanted.
"Yes," they said weakly.
Toriel wasn't sure she heard right, so she asked again to be sure. "Remember Frisk, if you do this… there will be no going back. You will be one of us for the rest of your life."
"I know," Frisk admitted. "I'm fine with that. Really, I am. I've already broken all my ties to the surface and humanity when I came down here. I said it before and I will again. I want to stay down here with all of you, and if that means giving up my humanity, then I'll give it up."
Toriel sighed before smiling. "I will go let them know."
Alphys and Undyne had gone down to the former's lab. Undyne was getting the equipment Alphys pointed out, getting ready for her plan. "So, you really think this will work?" Undyne asked her girlfriend.
"I'm confident it will," Alphys replied. She grabbed a vial that was filled with a green liquid, hand shaking as she did.
"What's that?" Undyne asked.
"It's… what I'll use to… k-kill…" Alphys couldn't get the rest out, but Undyne understood.
"Will it hurt?" the fish lady asked.
"N-no," Alphys answered. "In fact, they won't feel anything. It will be like… going to sleep. The only difference is… they won't wake up in that body."
Undyne could see the hesitation in Alphys' face. "Something wrong?" she asked.
"So much," Alphys admitted. "I mean, I know up here," she pointed to her head, "that we're saving Frisk, but… we're still killing them to do it. And I-I know that the alternative is letting them die a very slow and painful death, but… it still feels bad."
Undyne tried to think of something to reassure her. "Hey, think of it this way. When you succeed, they'll be stronger than ever!"
"You mean 'if'," Alphys reiterated.
But Undyne shook her head. "Nope. I mean 'when'," she stated. "This will work, just you wait and see. Frisk will be better than ever and it'll be thanks to you!"
Alphys smiled at that. "Thanks. It helps." She placed the vial in her lab coat. "Okay, now we need to move the body."
"Great!" Undyne said enthusiastically. "So, how do we do that? And where is it?"
"This way," the lizard scientist gestured and took Undyne to the room where the clone was created.
Undyne was shocked when she saw the clone. It looked like a miniature version of Asgore, with the same fuzzy white fur. She tried to find any hints of Frisk in it but found none.
"Okay," Alphys spoke, "we need to get it out of the tube and up to the ER."
"Okay, but uh… don't you think it should be wearing something?" Undyne asked.
"Oh…" Alphys blushed. "Um… I'll just use a simple hospital gown."
"Alright, let's get to it!"
Asgore and Toriel were by Frisk's bed, the latter holding her adopted child's hand while the former tussled their hair.
"Um," Frisk breathed. "My… appearance won't affect… how you think of me, right?" They needed to know that.
"Of course not," Toriel reassured.
"You're our child, Frisk," Asgore stated. "We love you."
Frisk's face lit up brighter than the sun, despite the pain. Neither Boss Monster knew how much that meant to them.
Undyne and Alphys entered followed by Sans and Papyrus. Undyne was pushing a gurney draped in a blanket, with Frisk's new body underneath.
"So, that's what we'll put Frisk's Soul in?" Asgore asked.
"Yes," Alphys confirmed. "This should be fairly simple. Emphasis on 'should'."
"Can we see it first?" Toriel asked.
Alphys reached for the blanket and pulled it down, exposing its head. Frisk got a good look at it without the distorting view of the glass, and as they thought, it was a dead ringer for Asriel. Judging by Asgore and Toriel's expressions, they saw the same thing. Frisk was only now realizing what they were doing. They would look just like the goat couple's deceased son and that might not be fair to them.
But Frisk still intended to restore their son, no matter what it took.
"I'm ready," Frisk said.
"Okay then," Alphys said. Undyne wheeled in some more equipment. "These devices will allow me to monitor the body, so we should know if it works." She pointed to a metal gauntlet with wiring. "This will allow me to hold your Soul without accidentally absorbing it." She pulled out the vial and a syringe. "And this… this will…" she couldn't get the words out.
"It won't hurt, right?" Frisk asked.
Alphys shook her head. "No, no no no. It will be painless. From your point of view it will seem like you fell asleep." She opened the vial and then filled the syringe with the green liquid. "Oh… kay," Alphys breathed. "I just need to inject this into a major vein and in less than a minute, you'll… well, you know." She pointed the needle at Frisk's arm but her hand was shaking. With her other arm, she rolled the sleeve up, exposing Frisk's underarm. She could see a faint blue line and knew what that was.
She lowered the needle to the vein but her hand kept shaking. She tried to steady it with her other hand but the vibrations just intensified. Webbed hands clasped hers and Undyne took the needle.
"Let me do it," she said gently.
"O-okay," Alphys agreed, relieved. "Um, right here." She pointed to the visible vein. Undyne did as instructed, the needle pierced Frisk's skin, making them wince. Then, she injected the poison into Frisk.
Undyne pulled the needle out and already Frisk could feel it creeping through their system.
"Count down from ten," Alphys said.
Frisk nodded, having a good idea why she wanted them to do that.
"Ten." Their body was going numb. Well, more numb, and the parts that were hurting dulled.
"Nine." The edges of their vision were darkening.
"Eight." Toriel was still grasping their hand and they gave a gentle squeeze that felt like a marathon.
"Seven." Now things were getting blurry.
"Six." Alphys was slipping the gauntlet on.
"Five." Breathing was starting to get hard and counting out loud was taking all the breath out of them.
"Four…" Sans and Papyrus were giving small waves as if to say, 'see you again soon.'
"Three…" Now their thoughts were growing foggy. They were losing focus as their body shut down.
"Two…" Everything went dark and muted and they couldn't feel anything anymore. A disconnected part of Frisk likened it to falling asleep. A small voice even noted that it felt familiar.
One… Their breathing stopped and the beating of their heart went silent. Their mind went blank.
Toriel let out a sharp gasp as Frisk's hand went limp in her own. Then, they let out a slow, painful breath and went completely still. She bowed her head, placing a gentle kiss on their forehead. Asgore pulled her away, and reluctantly she let go of Frisk's hand. Though Alphys assured her they were saving them, it still hurt.
Alphys flexed her fingers in the gauntlet, making sure it was all the way on as they waited for Frisk's Soul to appear. Undyne laid a reassuring hand on her shoulder, silently giving her encouragement.
For a moment, Sans feared that the moment Frisk went limp, he'd be back to either earlier that day or even earlier that week, the recent experience forgotten as if it never happened. When he blinked and nothing happened, a small weight lifted off him as he realized they were still in the present.
"SO, FRISK WILL BE OKAY, RIGHT?" Papyrus asked. "THEY'RE JUST NAPPING NOW?"
"from what alphys said, that's how it seems to them," Sans confirmed. "it's better they die like this."
"HOW DO YOU FIGURE?" Papyrus questioned.
"bleeding to death can be quite unpleasant if you think about it," Sans answered. "at least this way, they don't have to suffer."
"AND SOON, THEY'LL WAKE UP AS GOOD AS NEW. BETTER EVEN!" Papyrus said eagerly.
"yeah, sure."
From Frisk's still chest, right over their silent heart, a red glow appeared. Everyone watched with bated breath as their red Soul pushed its way out, hovering over the dead body. Alphys took a breath to steady herself as she approached it. She reached out with her gauntleted hand and grabbed the red heart.
The moment she made contact she could feel the power she would have if she absorbed it. The gauntlet kept that from happening, but she'd be lying if she said she wasn't tempted. A Monster with a human Soul would become godly and she knew she could become that if she tossed the gauntlet aside and grabbed it with bare hands.
But… the rational side of her told her to not do it. That was wrong in so many ways. Instead, she shook her head to rid it of those thoughts and walked toward the empty Boss Monster body. She glanced at the monitors, which read the steady heartbeat but no brain activity. The body occasionally twitched for seemingly no reason. She raised her hand over the chest and with her non-gauntleted hand, grabbed the clone's limp hand. She finagled its fingers to grab Frisk's Soul, taking care not to touch it herself. Holding its hand with the gauntlet, she lowered its hand until the tip of the Soul was touching its chest.
For a moment, there was resistance, the Soul refusing to go further in. She feared that this wouldn't work after all. But then, the Soul slipped right out of the hand's slack grip and straight into the body, a red flash emitting from the point of contact.
Everyone watched the body intently, hoping that it opened its eyes and Frisk would reveal to them that they were alright. A moment passed.
Two.
Three.
Nothing happened.
Then, the monitor started beeping faster and at the same time the body took in a massive breath, then slowly let it out. The body started taking fuller breaths, rather than the shallow ones from before. But it still didn't wake.
"Did it… work?" Toriel quietly asked, breaking the silence.
Alphys looked at the screen, interpreting the reading. "Yes," she said, releasing a breath she hadn't even realized she was holding at the same time as everyone else. "There is brain activity and they are alive."
"SO, WHY DON'T THEY WAKE UP?" Papyrus asked.
"I'm not sure," Alphys admitted. "Maybe the body needs to properly absorb the Soul first?"
"How long will that take?" Undyne asked.
"I have no idea," Alphys answered. "This has never happened before so I have no idea what to expect."
"well, whatever happens," Sans spoke, "sounds like they're not getting up for a while. so i guess there's no point in hanging around. c'mon, paps, let's go home," he motioned to his brother. "let us know when they wake up, kay?"
Alphys nodded in confirmation as the skeleton brothers walked out.
"Let me know too, okay?" Undyne requested. She left to follow the brothers.
"Keep me apprised, Doctor," Asgore asked. "C'mon, Tori, let's go."
Toriel shook her head. "I am not leaving without Frisk. Alphys, might I be able to stay?"
"I'll fix up a spare bed," Alphys said.
Toriel thanked her as the scientist left. She turned her gaze on the still body. Inside was the Soul of the child who came back to her, the one who stayed with her the longest. If she lost them… she didn't know what she'd do.
"Please, Frisk, come back," she whispered. "Do not leave me again."
End of Chapter 5